Ericfoos Posted August 12, 2003 Report Share Posted August 12, 2003 Win 2k Server SP4 512MB RAM Dell PowerEdge 1750 Adaptec 39160 SCSI Spectra 2k TreeFrog Retro Vers 6.5.319 RDU 4.3.102 Retrospect can scan and move tapes around fine at first. When backups need to span to a new tape, the drive ejects the current tape but hangs getting the next one. In the Storage devices window, it either will say (Unknown response) or have a bunch of squares for Vendor Product and Version but still have the correct driver listed for the library. The drive is always visible but the library disappears. I've moved the SCSI id's to be Drive = 1 and Library = 3. Installed ASPI, and have since reverted back to passthrough. Updated the SCSI card drivers. And called Spectra. I am going to borrow a different SCSI cable from a friend and see if that helps. Anyone seen anything like this before? Thanks! Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natew Posted August 13, 2003 Report Share Posted August 13, 2003 Hi Basic stuff but have you disabled the windows drivers for the loader and the tape drive in device manager? Make sure you do. Those squares indicate that Retrospect can no longer properly read the inquiry string on the device - i.e. there is a communication problem of some kind. Trying a new cable is a good place to start. Once the driver is loaded I think it stays loaded until the backup completes. Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted August 13, 2003 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2003 Yup, disabled all drivers. I upped the logging level for devices and here is the response. devctrlDevLogin: no login, refnum 0x36d8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveG Posted August 13, 2003 Report Share Posted August 13, 2003 I had a similar problem when I moved to a new backup server. I'd also get a lot of "incorrect version" erros when reading tapes. The frustrating thing it the tape deck would behave for a little while, then start failing in the middle of a backup or tape scan. I swapped out the SCSI cable and terminator and things have behaved much better since. My setup is nearly identical to yours, other than I'm using an HP Proliant DL320 server. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2003 I bought a new SCSI cable, same problem, got a new library from Spectra and re-installed the OS and SCSI drivers. Worked great. Created custom bar codes for tapes and they seem to be able to hang the device. Really odd. Once the codes are scanned, retrospect doesn't appear to like them to be changed. Adding new tapes to sets with custom codes works OK though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 3, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2003 Well, I spoke too soon. When trying to span tapes it loses the library. The operations log says "Spectra Logic Library, ID 6:5" reported a hardware failure while moving tapes. This is the second unit that has behaved like this. I'd hope my luck didn't suck so bad that I'd happen to get two faulty units! Power cycling the library allows it to keep working but it kinda defeats the purpose of having the library. Is there any way I can get logging to tell me more of what's going on so I can forward it to the Dantz engineers and Spectra so we can find out why mine bugs out? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 8, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2003 OK, I found the command to clear the Tape set memory. Shift + eject all. It does not appear to fully clear it's memory as when I put in a tape that belongs to backup set A, after the bar code scanner does it's thing, it lists it as a member of backup set C. I think this tape naming problem is contributing to my autoloader jacking up. I removed the problematic tape and upped the logging for backup sets and devices. I was moving where the unit was plugged in to and ejected tape four from backup set A. The library thrashed about and then failed. I looked at the log and saw something interesting. + Normal backup using Laptops at 9/8/2003 1:06 PM (Execution unit 1) To Backup Set Backup Set A... - 9/8/2003 1:06:16 PM: Copying Drive C (C:) on xxxxxxxx 9/8/2003 1:06:16 PM: Connected to xxxxxxxx 9/8/2003 2:36:33 PM: Snapshot stored, 49.0 MB 9/8/2003 2:36:41 PM: Execution completed successfully Completed: 6359 files, 11.4 GB Performance: 139.0 MB/minute Duration: 01:30:23 (00:02:14 idle/loading/preparing) arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C arcDevSearch: skipping to blank media named 9-Backup Set C devconReserveProxy: devRef 0x7c3 reserver 0x10ef8b44 proxy 0x10f0b0b4 loadconReserveProxy: loRef 0x7d6 reserver 0x10ef8b44, proxy 0x10f278cc Library for "Spectra Logic Library, ID 4:5" reported a hardware failure while moving tapes. loadconReleaseProxy: loRef 0x7d6 reserver 0x10ef8b44 proxy 0x10f278cc devconReleaseProxy: devRef 0x7c3 reserver 0x10ef8b44 proxy 0x10f0b0b4 Quit at 9/8/2003 2:41 PM I'm backing up to set A. Why on earth is it trying to find 9-Backup Set C? In backup set C, there isn't a tape 9 even. It only goes up to 8. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natew Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Hi Right click on your loader in the Retrospect devices window and turn off bar code support. Then clear the tape memory again and try a scan media the old fashioned way. Any chance you can try another SCSI card/cable? I suspect the backup set is reporting that it has used members 1-8. as Retrospect cannot find tape #8 it is looking for tape #9. The other possibility here is that your retrospect config files are corrupt. You can create new configs by renaming or moving the following files: Docs and settinge/all users/application data (hidden)/Retrospect/ config65.dat and config65.bak Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natew Posted September 9, 2003 Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 BTW I talked to one guy who was using a "combo" driver from adaptec for his card. After he got the correct 39160 driver all was fine. Don't know if that applies to your situation but it is worth looking into Nate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 9, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2003 Hey Nate, Tape 8 of Set C only has 4 GB on it so it should report that there is still room. That should be irrelevant as I am backing up to Set A!! I've tried every driver from Adaptec and Dell with the same results. Most drivers are 39160/3960D combo drivers. I'm using the current ones from Adaptec selecting only the 39160 not the combo vers 6.1.6300.100. I've also completely reinstalled/setup retrospect in essence rebuilding the config files. This is the second SCSI cable/terminator I've tried. I wish the built in LSI card would recognize the library but even Spectra said fat chance. I'll try disabling bar code support and let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 14, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2003 I re-installed the OS. Re-installed Retrospect. Re-entered in all license codes. Re-added all clients. Rebuilt a catalog from the A tape set. Created from scratch tape set B. Same problem, when it goes to span tapes the library faults and the Retrospect logs indicate that it is looking for a tape that is not in the set!! I am backing up to set B and the logs say it is looking for 7-Backup Set A!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2003 I think I found out what the problem is. Even though barcode scanning is turned off, it is still passing the info to Retrospect. In the loader, Retrospect reports the correct custom barcode. When it is loaded into the drive, a different barcode from a prior use appears. Any amount of erasing and clearing of tape/barcode states fails to get rid of the wrong barcode. It appears it is read from the tape? Is that a valid assumption? If so, how do I clear that information off the tape? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2003 We used another utility to write zeros to the first MB of tape and it worked! After the first Retrospect erase with the custom barcode, the tape now shows the correct code when in the drive. I believe this will solve all of my problems. Whew! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssevenup Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 I am using an ATTO SCSI card with Granite Digital cable and terminator. We are seeing the same symptoms described here. I have talked to Dantz support. They had me disable the Windows drivers and install the ASPI layer. This improved the situation in terms of what the Retrospect device manager environment shows, but I still have the same troubles. Sometimes the tape is left ejected in the drive, and sometimes it is left in the picker. Sometimes quitting Retrospect will wedge the robot (I have eject on quit selected), but not always. --MM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericfoos Posted September 22, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 22, 2003 Turn off bar code support. After wiping the headers of my tapes I got over confident and turned it back on and the problems re-surfaced. I turned it back off and it has spanned 5 tapes successfully this past weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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