Cleaning the tape mechanism – Dell PowerVault 110T LTO3 User Manual
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Do not drop the cartridge. If the cartridge drops, slide the cartridge door back and ensure that the leader pin is properly seated in the pin-retaining
spring clips.
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Do not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can damage the tape's surface or edges, which may interfere with read or write
reliability. Pulling on tape that is outside the cartridge can damage the tape and the brake mechanism in the cartridge.
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Do not stack more than six cartridges.
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Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tape unusable.
Cleaning the Tape Mechanism
Dell PowerVault 110T LTO-3 drives have been developed to have a minimal cleaning requirement. The tape drive will display a C on the single-character display
and the status light will flash amber when the drive needs cleaning. Only insert a cleaning cartridge into the tape drive when the C is displayed.
An LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridge is supplied with each tape drive. Do not use swabs or other means of cleaning the heads. The cleaning cartridge
uses a special tape to clean the tape heads.
Though the number may vary according to the manufacturer, the universal cleaning cartridge is generally valid for 50 cleanings. If the cleaning cartridge is
ejected immediately, then it has expired or it is not a supported cleaning cartridge. Discard it and use a new one.
To use the LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridge:
1.
Insert a cleaning cartridge into the tape drive. The tape drive performs the cleaning automatically. When the cleaning is finished, the drive ejects the
cartridge.
2.
Remove the cleaning cartridge from the drive.
Please read all
restrictions and disclaimers
.
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NOTICE: Only use LTO cleaning cartridges that are labeled "universal." Some Generation 1 cleaning cartridges may not be the universal type. The
Generation 3 tape drive is only compatible with the LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridges. Use of any other type of cleaning cartridge or method
can damage the read/write head in your drive. If you load any other type of cleaning cartridge, the tape drive ejects it immediately.