Problem with Seagate/IBM DDS-3 tape drive.

From: Dr. David Kirkby (drkirkby_at_ntlworld.com)
Date: 08/12/03 

Date: 11 Aug 2003 17:16:11 -0700

I'm stuck trying to get a tape drive to work. Any help appreciated.

I bought an IBM RS/6000 server recently (7025 F50 to be precise),
which is fitted with a IBM DDS-3 tape drive that is clearly made by
Seagate. I've tried today for the first time to use the tape drive
with a DDS-2 tape, but are not having a lot of luck. The model says
"IBM" Seagate "SDT124000" and under that "SDT22400". See picture at
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~davek/dds3-2.jpg

Looking at the Seagate manual
http://www.seagate.com/support/tape/specs/dds/std12400.html
the only difference between the SDT124000 SDT22400 is that the former
is designed for a 3.5" bay and the latter has rails for a 5.25" bay.

What is odd, is that the Seagate manual says "The Scorpian drive
contains two LEDs. The yellow rectangular LED indiates the drive
status and the green rectangular LED indicates the cartridge status."
Simply enough you might think, except the drive has three LEDs on the
front panel - see the photo I took at
http://www.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/~davek/dds3.jpg
not two as the Seagate manual says. I can't find any IBM manual. Hence
I have not got a clue what the LEDs mean. The one on the far left,
marked like a horseshoe remains lit when the tape is inserted. I
thought that might me Clean, so I inserted a cleaning tape. But that
did not help.

I've had mail sent to root indicating a problem.

A PROBLEM WAS DETECTED ON Mon 11 Aug 22:31:56
2003 801014
                        
The Service Request Number(s)/Probable Cause(s)
(causes are listed in descending order of probability):

  678-320: Error Log Analysis indicates a permanent hardware failure.
    rmt0 FRU: 59H3879 P2/Z1-A5
                     SCSI 4mm Tape Drive (12000 MB)
    n/a FRU: n/a P2/Z1-A5
                     Test media.

but needless to say the fact I don't know what this means. It would
appear the drive is perhaps non-funtional, but I'd like to be sure of
this before relagating it to the bin. I bought the machine used, but
does anyone know the warranty period of such tape drives and whether
IBM are likely to take back a drive under warranty, given the fact it
was bought used?

Does anyone know if its possible to get a drive repaired at a sensible
price, or is the bin the best place for it, should I determine the
thing is not going to work?

Dr. David Kirkby

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