Dell PowerVault TL1000 - Manual (Page 117)

Perform a thorough inspection
After you purchase a cartridge and before you use it, complete the following steps:
v Inspect the cartridge's packaging to determine potential rough handling.
v When a cartridge is inspected, open only the cartridge door. Do not open any
other part of the cartridge case. The upper and lower parts of the case are held
together with screws. Separating them destroys the usefulness of the cartridge.
v Inspect the cartridge for damage before you use or store it.
v Inspect the rear of the cartridge (the part that loads first into the tape load
compartment) and ensure that there are no gaps in the seam of the cartridge
case. If there are gaps in the seam (see Figure 5-6), the leader pin might be
dislodged.
v Check that the leader pin is properly seated.
v If you suspect that the cartridge was mishandled but it appears usable, copy any
data onto a good cartridge immediately for possible data recovery. Discard the
mishandled cartridge.
v Review handling and shipping procedures.
Handle the cartridge carefully
v 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.
v Do not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can damage
the tape's surface or edges, which might 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.
v Do not stack more than six cartridges.
v Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tape
unusable.
Figure 5-6. Checking for gaps in the seams of a cartridge
Chapter 5. Media 5-9