asked on

Can I reset my Quantum DLT7000 (HP branded) tape drive without using software?

I have an HP SureStore 70 (Quantum DLT7000) tape drive. I upgraded the firmware using HP Library and Tape Tools. After the upgrade, the drive worked on two test jobs. I started a third job and left it. Today I found it with all lights on the front blinking and the job (running in Backup Exec 10.0) showed failed. I had to cycle the power to make them stop.

Now the drive won't do anything. I can load/unload tapes, but I never get more than the "Tape in use" LED. When I load the same tape into a working drive, the "Tape in Use," "35GB," and "Compressed" LED's all light. Also when I load the tape into the good drive, it spins at high speed for several seconds while it processes the tape. The bad drive spins once at high speed, makes a couple of slow turns forwards and back, and then stops.

When I view the drive in HP Library & Tape tools (which I used to upgrade the firmware in the firstplace) it says the drive is limited to only a few tools because it is in "boot code" and not all diagnostic features are available. I attmpeted to use Libary & Tape Tools to update the firmware again, but it failed.

dovidmichel

Try DLTSage from Quantum.
http://selfservice.talisma.com/display/2/articleDirect/index.asp?aid=1306&r=0.7170374
This link should take you to the DLT7000 page and in the lower part of the page is the link to download DLTSage.

tomghormley

ASKER

Thanks for your response. That link isn't working for me. Did I miss something?

FYI

I'm AM on a beta of IE 7.0.

David_Fong

A FUP tape might work if it's running boot code but I don't believe HP provide one. The generic Quantum one is at http://www.quantum.com/ServiceandSupport/SoftwareandDocumentationDownloads/DLT7000/Index.aspx#Firmware and the instructions are at http://downloads.quantum.com/DLTSage/Firmware_Update.pdf

It should then appear as a Quantum drive, L&TT can convert the personality into HP but not without the factory password, still, better than nothing ;)

tomghormley

ASKER

Well, I tried that link on another box running IE 6.0 and it still doesn't work. It says it's done loading, but the page is blank.

tomghormley

ASKER

Okay, I downloaded Sage. It cannot run its diagnostics, either. It fails with a "SOFT POST" error message. It cannot detect a tape in the drive at all, even when there is one.

dovidmichel

Between the boot code and firmware update failure with Tape Tools and the soft post error with DLTSage I'm out of ideas and am afraid it needs to be sent in for repair. Oh well one more idea, on the off chance move it to another system and put it in place of a working drive just to make sure that the problem follows the drive and does not stay with the system.

David_Fong

Did you try a FUP tape? Not at all sure it will work with corrupt firmware but at least it's stand-alone and doesn't need the SCSI side to work.

tomghormley

ASKER

I cannot get the drive to do much with a tape period. Where my working drive loads the tape, spins it up, and the 35GB and Compressions lights come on, this drive doesn't do that. It accepts the tape and spins the reel a couple of times, but then stops. It won't do anything else with the cartridge. :(

tomghormley

ASKER

I will try the FUP tape to cover all the bases. I will have to reconnect my working drive. I have the firmware downloaded. How do I get that onto the good tape?

David_Fong

I believe you have to jerk around with the handle like what it says in the PDF. The firmware from the running drive ought to be good enough rather than using the new download anyway.

tomghormley

ASKER

The weird thing is, this ran two successful jobs AFTER the failed upgrade.

dovidmichel

right so if it was a failed firmware upgrade then it would have been a brick right then and there. The fact that it did run correctly after the firmware upgrade is proof that the upgrade was successful. That leaves us with an unrealted bad timeing failure.

tomghormley

ASKER

So what does that mean? Am I still screwed but for a different reason?

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

dovidmichel

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

rindi

Have you tried a different tape in the Drive? maybe the plastic header tape is broken and can't pull the tape into the drive, that would explain the fast spinning reel. If you can get a tape header for inside the drive from HP and if the drive is out of warranty, it is easy to fix. There are two header tapes, one inside the tape and the other in the drive. When a tape is loaded these headers lock into each other and then the tape can be pulled into the drive. These headers very often break.

tomghormley

ASKER

Thanks for your thoughts. I have tried multiple tapes, though. The "bad" drive doesn't spin rapidly. I was describing the "good" drive. In comparison, the bad drive accepts the tape, grabs the leader, and spins rapidly (normally) briefly before stopping. During this time, the good drive would spin rapidly back and forth, seeking the beginning of the tape. Once it was ready, the good drive would stop, and the "Tape in Use," "35gb" and "Compressed" lights would be lit.

The bad drive doesn't do this. After the intial fast spin, it just stalls. The only light glowing is the "Tape in Use" light.

dovidmichel

Might be a lost leader.

Do a google search on "lost dlt leader" for several pages that describe the problem and how to fix, but if the drive is under warrenty then it should be sent in.