Invalid media symptoms, Cartridge memory – Dell PowerVault 124T User Manual

Page 12

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LTO Media Handbook

Invalid Media Symptoms

PowerVault LTO tape drive with invalid media displays the following

symptoms:

• Cleaning light turns on.
• Media light flashes or stays on.
• Tape ejects.
• Backup software reports invalid media.
• Error code

7 is displayed on drives with a seven segment display.

Cartridge Memory

Tape drives require information about the tape cartridge being used. For LTO

tape cartridges, this information is stored in a small chip within the tape and

is referred to as the Cartridge Memory (CM). CM is a nonvolatile memory

that responds through a passive radio frequency interface.
The CM holds the following information:

• The type of cartridge
• Important information that the drive uses to setup and calibrate
• The tape directory to enable a quick search for data sets

You experience difficulties with the cartridge if the CM is damaged or

corrupted. However, the user data can still be recovered. To recover the data,

set the write protect tab on the cartridge and the load the cartridge into an

Ultrium drive.
The drive stores enough information on tape to be able to recognize the tape.

However, the data directory is lost. Hence, the drive can only search from the

beginning of tape (BOT) to end of tape (EOT) across all wraps to find the

data. A Fast Search to the correct location is not possible.

NOTE:

Recovery of data from a full tape could take up to 3 hours.

ptause Solution

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