StorageTek L-40

[maschal]

We're trying to run Retrospect from a Dell enterprise-class server to a StorageTek L40 (40 tape SDLT tape library). Retrospect recognizes the tape drive, and the tape library, but once Retrospect loads a tape - the application seems to loose it's mind.....it forgets what it's doing, what tapes in the drive, etc.....essentially, it's dead in the water. If Retrospect is then shut down and restarted, and the backup job is restarted, the job will start backing up systems, but as soon as it has to try and change tapes, it looses it's mind again!! The Retrospect website shows the StorageTek L40 as a compatible system, but it hasn't been thus far! We have tested the hardware EXTENSIVELY!!....everything is fine, (it works great with Legato!?) BUT....we need Retrospect to back up Mac systems! The final straw is to try the same system running regular DLT drives, in lieu of the SDLT drives, and see what happens. Retrospect is supposedly working on the problem, but we're wondering if anyone out here has a StorageTek L40 working with this software that might be able to shed some light.....??

 

 

 

Any assistance or information would be helpful....

 

 

 

 

[AmyJ]

In reply to:

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Retrospect is supposedly working on the problem

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Can you please be more specific about what problem it is that Dantz is working on? I'm unaware of any issues with this drive. In fact, it is fully supported.

 

 

 

That being said, let's move on to troubleshooting:

 

 

 

Make sure ASPI is installed by running ASPICHK (installed into the Retrospect Program Files directory).

 

Try updating the drivers for your SCSI card.

 

Did you use this drive with Legato on the same computer? If so, did it install any extraneous drivers? If it did, try uninstalling these in addition to Legato.

 

Try a different tape in your drive. If you're trying tapes of the same brand, try at least one of a different brand.

 

Try minimizing your SCSI bus by taking off any other SCSI devices.

 

Try using a different cable from the PC to the tape drive.

 

Try using a different terminator on the back of the drive.

 

Try swapping PCI slots the card is installed into.

 

Finally, try bringing this drive to another PC and trying the backup. If it works here, you could be having a problem with either the SCSI card on the original machine or with the PC itself.