Or before you go out and replace the drive, maybe try cleaning the read/write head? I've had brand new tapes that were so dirty that they gummed up the works before they got half way through. All from the same lot, so it was probably just a bad lot of tapes in my case. Running a cleaning tape a couple times fixed it for me.
Mark Murphy
Atlas Data Systems
mmurphy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: -----
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'" <midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
From: Jim Oberholtzer <midrangel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 03/30/2017 11:48AM
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
Bad drive. It sounds like the read/write head is worn.
--
Jim Oberholtzer
Agile Technology Architects
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jerry
Adams
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 10:11 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
Nope, but that reminds me of another thing.
A month or so ago I was doing a Save21. I got a media error somewhere
during the library save section. Swore a blue streak, pulled out a new tape
and restarted. This one blew off pretty early in the save; i.e., it did not
die in the same place. I gave up and went home.
We had experienced "media error" problems periodically before that; maybe
once a week or two. Since then it has gotten progressively worse; it's now
five [5] days in a row.
Jerry C. Adams
It is wise to lose an argument to a man who commands thirty legions.
-Favorinus
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
--
NMM&D
615-832-2730
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Paul
Nelson
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 9:42 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
Have you tried a RCLSTG?
Paul Nelson
Cell 708-670-6978
Office 409-267-4027
nelsonp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jerry
Adams
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 9:27 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
Thanks, Jim. I checked for damaged objects across *ALLUSR libraries, which
is the extent of the Save. No hits.
I, also, checked the sizes for the objects in the next library to be saved.
There was nothing in it that had an excessive, or even large, size. I
understand, in principle, what John was saying earlier. But it would seem
(to me, anyway) that spanning a tape would have been something IBM's
developer would have considered. In fact, I would expect it to be a common
occurrence. Though, as John said, apparently not.
Jerry C. Adams
All the world is a stage and most of us are desperately unrehearsed.
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
--
NMM&D
615-832-2730
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jim
Oberholtzer
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 8:11 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
That almost sounds like a damaged object. It's been some time since we've
seen that but then again I don't think I remember V5R1 that well anymore
anyway.
First clear QRPLOBJ library. It might have junk in it and you don't want
that stuff anyway.
Try running DSPOBJ *ALL/*ALL to an outfile Query that out file looking for
the damaged object flag turned on.
See if that's where the save is failing.
Blind stab in the dark at this point.
--
Jim Oberholtzer
Agile Technology Architects
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jerry
Adams
Sent: Thursday, March 30, 2017 6:11 AM
To: 'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'
Subject: RE: Media Errors on Tapes
I can understand a tape drive going bad. What puzzles the heck out of me is
why it fails at exactly the same place every night.
The hardware vendor found a replacement, which they are going to put in
today. It is used and no warranty that it will solve the problem, of
course.
We use the tape drive cleaning cartridge when the system tells us to (about
every 30 days). Back in the day the S/36 had a tape drive (6157). There
was no cleaning cartridge; one was instructed to clean it by using isopropyl
alcohol on a swab. I mention that because I was wondering if that
could/should be done on these tape drives.
Jerry C. Adams
A clear conscience is the sign of a fuzzy memory.
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
--
NMM&D
615-832-2730
-----Original Message-----
From: MIDRANGE-L [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Rob
Berendt
Sent: Wednesday, March 29, 2017 10:09 AM
To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
Subject: Re: Media Errors on Tapes
This is almost always a sign that the tape drive is going bad. We've had
that with LTO 3 drives in our library. Tapes would start be declared as
bad. We would have them replace the drive and it would go away.
Occasionally we would INZTAP with a CLEAR(*YES) just to ensure it was good
after the drive replacement. I think I could count the number of tapes we
threw away as bad on one hand.
I can't tell you what tape drives are currently compatible with your system.
Sorry. No alternatives to recommend. And, if it's too new yet still
supported on V5R1 it may have needed a certain PTF level. I've heard that
PTF's can be a bit tough to order for V5R1.
Rob Berendt
--
IBM Certified System Administrator - IBM i 6.1 Group Dekko Dept 1600 Mail
to: 2505 Dekko Drive
Garrett, IN 46738
Ship to: Dock 108
6928N 400E
Kendallville, IN 46755
http://www.dekko.com
From: "Jerry Adams" <midrange@xxxxxxxx>
To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'"
<midrange-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: 03/29/2017 08:57 AM
Subject: Media Errors on Tapes
Sent by: "MIDRANGE-L" <midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
First, full disclosure: Model 250 running V5R1.
We have a cartridge tape drive 7207 Model 122. The data files backup runs
unattended each night. Lately it is crashing and burning with media errors;
in fact, it has failed the last four [4] nights.
Tapes do go bad, but it seems unreasonable to me to have this many go bad so
quickly. In fact, some of the tapes, except for initialization, have never
been used before. Plus it always blows at exactly the same place. And we
have cleaned the tape drive after each failure.
Am I being illogical to think that it is the tape drive, rather than the
tapes, which is at fault? Is there any way to determine that?
I have been trying to get the company to upgrade the system for years with,
obviously, no success. Any other options? I have been told that this tape
drive is no longer available (maybe eBay but you get what you pay for
there). But are there any other backup alternatives for off-line storage?
Thanks.
Jerry C. Adams
IBM i Programmer/Analyst
Science is not a liberal conspiracy.
--
NMM&D
615-832-2730
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