Exabyte 8505XL Computer Drive User Manual


 
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Chapter 4: Troubleshooting
Problems With Tape Drive Operation
Most problems with tape drive operation occur with improper cartridge use.
If you have been successfully operating your backup software and tape
drive in the past, but are now experiencing problems reading and writing
data, check the following:
If you are writing data, make sure that the data cartridge is write
enabled.
Check the brand of data cartridge you are using. Silicon Graphics
recommends using EXATAPE data cartridges (see Selecting Data
Cartridges on page 19).
Note: When selecting extended-length tapes for XL tape drives, only
use EXATAPE 160-m XL 8 mm data cartridges. Any other type of
extended-length tape may be automatically ejected (see Selecting Data
Cartridges on page 19).
Make sure that you are inserting the data cartridge correctly.
If the data cartridge has been in use for a long time or has been used
frequently, try using a new data cartridge.
Determine whether the tape drive needs cleaning (see Determining
When to Clean the Tape Drive on page 23).