I also have a PE2500, but we have 2- PV100T DDS4 drives, all being ran by Backup Exec 8.6.
I've had gobs of trouble with the old one, but the new one's only issue is that the actual write-rate isn't as advertised (a long time ago, the original used to write at the correct rate, but no longer).
I've not had any trouble using Sony DDS3 tapes for writing with this drive, but I find the DDS4 tapes are a little more robust. We used to have trouble with the DDS3 tapes in a Sony DDS3 drive as well.
As far as needing cleaned every backup? Our old one does, the new one hasn't needed it, and we haven't been to isolate that after hours of discussion with Dell on the phone and even more hours troubleshooting here. We've given up and purchased more cleaning tapes, as we need to clean it perpetually. When we ran the old one using WinNT backup, it still worked slowly, and still needed cleaning each use.
If you have found a solution to this, I'd be thrilled to be let in on it as well.
P.S. There have been numerous occasions where the tape backup refuses to finish and ejects the tape mid-process because it demanded to be cleaned.
After a little time on the phone to Dell support, I've been told that firmware 9050 has never been heard of. The suggested action was to downgrade to 8160, plus all the usual tests of using NTBackup instead. One other that was suggested, which I've never heard of before, is to reset the drive by doing the following:
Power off the machine and remove the power for 30s
Hold the eject button in, power up the machine, and 30s later release the eject button.
If these don't help, Dell will replace the drive. I've yet to try these, but I'll report back.
I'm having a similar problem on a brand new 2500 (9/02), same tape drive, only with ArcServe. I have to clean the tape drive after every use. I get a "clean tape drive" indicator every morning. I also have a 4600 with identicle software and tape drive, so I swapped the tape drives, no change. The 4600 runs fine with either tape drive. I upgraded from Arcserve 2000 to Version 9, the only change is I don't get the warning in the log, but I still get the light. The backup fails if I don't clean.
The OS wis Windows 2000 server SP2.
Native Windows 2000 back-up works fine on the 2500
Any ideas? Dell thinks it's a software problem and CA thinks it's a hardware problem. I don't know what to think.
Yes, I too have been working on the problem for two months now. I am also using arcserver on a poweredge 2500sc with netware 5.1. Dell has changed the tape drive three times and the system board once. They have also blamed the arcserv software and computer associates blames it on a scsi problem.
I have tried backup exec with the same problem arising.
Has to be something on the Dell sever
How do we get Dell to wake up and accept the repsonsibility!?!
We have had similar issues on our 1400 server with that drive, also using ArcServe 2000. My problem is getting the message "Unable to position media". Of about 20 HP DDS-4 tapes we have, only around 15 seem to work without generating this message. The Windows Backup program will not even recognize that there is a tape in the drive in the first place. Either the ArcServe and Windows Backup programs are faulty AND we've got a lot of bad HP tapes or something is wrong with the drive.
I also have to reboot the server quite often when the lights on the drive remain on and the tape won't eject.
I have installed 2 PE2600 in 2 different sites, with PV-100 DDS4 drives ( Archive Python) and Veritas Backup Exec 8.6 in April. They have both given repeated cleaning errors since being installed (using new tapes). More recently, they have both started giving the following message repeatedly:
"An inconsistency was encountered on the storage media in DELL 1".
I have updated the tape firmware in both, as well as the Veritas tape drivers to the latest releases. On one, I have also updated the PERC-4 firmware and drivers. Oddly enough, although the 2 machines were ordered a few weeks apart with the same RAID-5 spec, one has an Adaptec SCSI board for the tape drive, while the other has the tape on the internal (LSI?) SCSI port.
Veritas don't seem to be able to help. I am getting desperate, as both companies have unreliable backups.
I am also having problems with two PE2600 Servers (JDKT61S and 1FKT61S) with Archive Python 06408-XXX DDS4 Drives both with firmware revision 9050 (as supplied).
The tape drive in JDKT61S occasionally fails, throws up a very lengthy LED flash sequence and won't release the tape. This is only cleared by a complete power-off cycle. 1FKT61S occasionally refuses to release the tape, but does not display any LED sequence (also requires power off to release tape).
I have updated Veritas Software and Server firmware (not tape drive firmware) on both servers. Both servers have a separate 39160 SCSI Adaptor that the tape drives are connected to.
Is there anything I can try to rectify this? Powering off a server is inconvenient to say the least, and not having reliable backups is nerve-wracking!
I have been told to check the speed of the SCSI connection. On the Adaptec controller, the speed needs to be set to 20Mb !!. I have done this on one PE2600. On a second one, which doesn't have the Adaptec controller, I have set the second LSI channel to 20Mb (Transfer rate = FAST). This has improved the problems with inconsistency errors.
The cleaning seems to rely on putting the cleaning tape in 6 to 10 times every time we get a major problem, and cleaning every 10 hours or so otherwise. I understand that some of the Sony DDS4 tapes are the most problematic, particularly when new.
Python 06408-XXX Backup Exec 9.0 does not work even not a bit :(((
some time it creates archive but only first one, there is not possible append or overwrite data, never finish job properly only jobs like erase tape are terminated correctly but it doesnt the most important, BACK UP.
We have a PE2500SC and just recently began receiving the "clean tape drive" error, after 2 years of no problems. We are using Veritas Backup Exec. Dell sent a new(reconfigured) tape drive and we still have the same problem. We have to clean the tape drive daily.
Was there ever a solution to this problem. I have a PE2500 with the PV-100t(Python 06408-xxx) on the onboard adaptec scsi controller and so far have had the drive replaced at least 4 times the cable at least twice and the board once. It seemed to get worse after the the last drive before Dell replaced the board. Now it want's a cleaning after every backup. Even a small backup, 200k to 500k I get in the 700s for soft write errors.
Ditto here, PE 2500, 'Archive Python' tape drive, W2K, BackupExec 9.1 - every service pack and update known to man. (Thanks Dell support for wasting my time there, no effect on the problem at all!).Had 4 tape drives, three SCSI cables and 1 motherboard in 18 months. Starts off OK with each new drive, backups finish without error perhaps 5-10 soft write errors per 10GB backup, and tapes eject properly. After a month we've got 200,000+ soft write errors per tape on a set of 5 brand new tapes with tape drive cleaning at least twice weekly, or every time the 'clean tape' light comes on which is now practically every day. The backups take at least a hour longer with all the extra tape head cleaning, and 2 out of 3 backups end with the tape having to be manually ejected . What makes it worse is that the server sits next to a Compaq Proliant ML350 running the same software - and brand of tape- without a single failure in 18 months, and it's only cleaned once a week.
Come on Dell, at least admit that you've got a problem with these tape drives - once the first month is over even daily cleaning doesn't solve the problem. The fact that the new drives work ok and the performance degenerates must prove that there is a problem with the hardware. Backups should just work, we have enough problems with viruses and security, without having to worry if last night's backup works. Oh, and where are the posts from the Dell moderators on this thread??
This is the only Dell server in our organisation - and the last - HP/Compaq rules here!
Just adding my .02 to the mix. I also have a PowerEdge 2500 (converted to rackmount) with the Seagate DAT drive, Windows 2000 server and Veritas Backup Exec 8.6, sp 3808. The problem is almost always the same, my ~16 gigs of data get backed up and as soon as Veritas switches to "verify" I get media alert errors and the tape drive needs cleaning. The backup usually completes successfully but eventually it fails to even complete a backup. I am on my 7th drive in addition to adding a 3960 scsi controller so we could take the drive off of the motherboard. I have uninstalled and reinstalled Backup Exec, applied all Microsoft patches, tested with Microsoft NT backup and still get the same errors. I have spent countless hours on the phone with Dell and Veritas to no avail. After reading the other posts I believe that upgrading Veritas Backup Exec to 9.1 won't solve the problem. I have tried every scsi speed setting change Dell suggested, all to no avail. Ironically, I to have a Compaq next to my Dell which runs a Sony DAT drive with only one failure over the years, but to Dell's credit I get all my parts the same day, Compaq once took 2 weeks to get me a replacement hard drive for my Exchange server, but we all know how patient and understanding users are when email goes down. There simply has to be hardware/bios issue between Seagate and Dell. When the warranty runs out I will probably buy a Sony drive
We have a very similar problem, with no solution yet. Our drive is a Python 06408-XXX, and has been replaced 3 times now. The cable has been replaced twice, and we have tried using both the onboard controller and an add on SCSI controller. Nothing seems to help. Symptoms include very high numbers of soft write errors (a couple thousand per backup...as high as 6000), tape does not automatically eject, drive indicates that it needs cleaning every time it gets used, backups take significantly longer to complete that our Compaq systems with HP drives.
I recently spent the weekend reinstalling Windows 2000 server on the machine, with no difference in performance. The problem persists with BackupExec 8.6 and BackupExec 9.0. Media does not seem to make any difference either, as the problem affects multiple brands of media and affects both DDS-3 and DDS-4 media.
We are growing concerned that our decision to use Dell hardware may have been an enormous mistake, as there is clearly something wrong with the server (PE 2500), and Dell has effectively decided not to honor the terms of their warranty by not addressing the problem appropriately. While our misplaced server investment is a frustration, the loss of our data do to some unforseen hardware problem would be catastrophic.
IdahoBoy
1 Message
0
January 17th, 2003 20:00
I also have a PE2500, but we have 2- PV100T DDS4 drives, all being ran by Backup Exec 8.6.
I've had gobs of trouble with the old one, but the new one's only issue is that the actual write-rate isn't as advertised (a long time ago, the original used to write at the correct rate, but no longer).
I've not had any trouble using Sony DDS3 tapes for writing with this drive, but I find the DDS4 tapes are a little more robust. We used to have trouble with the DDS3 tapes in a Sony DDS3 drive as well.
As far as needing cleaned every backup? Our old one does, the new one hasn't needed it, and we haven't been to isolate that after hours of discussion with Dell on the phone and even more hours troubleshooting here. We've given up and purchased more cleaning tapes, as we need to clean it perpetually. When we ran the old one using WinNT backup, it still worked slowly, and still needed cleaning each use.
If you have found a solution to this, I'd be thrilled to be let in on it as well.
P.S. There have been numerous occasions where the tape backup refuses to finish and ejects the tape mid-process because it demanded to be cleaned.
Intrasource
2 Posts
0
January 21st, 2003 07:00
After a little time on the phone to Dell support, I've been told that firmware 9050 has never been heard of. The suggested action was to downgrade to 8160, plus all the usual tests of using NTBackup instead. One other that was suggested, which I've never heard of before, is to reset the drive by doing the following:
Power off the machine and remove the power for 30s
Hold the eject button in, power up the machine, and 30s later release the eject button.
If these don't help, Dell will replace the drive. I've yet to try these, but I'll report back.
mysticstamp
1 Message
0
January 27th, 2003 17:00
I'm having a similar problem on a brand new 2500 (9/02), same tape drive, only with ArcServe. I have to clean the tape drive after every use. I get a "clean tape drive" indicator every morning. I also have a 4600 with identicle software and tape drive, so I swapped the tape drives, no change. The 4600 runs fine with either tape drive. I upgraded from Arcserve 2000 to Version 9, the only change is I don't get the warning in the log, but I still get the light. The backup fails if I don't clean.
The OS wis Windows 2000 server SP2.
Native Windows 2000 back-up works fine on the 2500
Any ideas? Dell thinks it's a software problem and CA thinks it's a hardware problem. I don't know what to think.
WestPAGiz
1 Message
0
March 21st, 2003 11:00
Yes, I too have been working on the problem for two months now. I am also using arcserver on a poweredge 2500sc with netware 5.1. Dell has changed the tape drive three times and the system board once. They have also blamed the arcserv software and computer associates blames it on a scsi problem.
I have tried backup exec with the same problem arising.
Has to be something on the Dell sever
How do we get Dell to wake up and accept the repsonsibility!?!
chaz6
1 Message
0
July 24th, 2003 16:00
We have had similar issues on our 1400 server with that drive, also using ArcServe 2000. My problem is getting the message "Unable to position media". Of about 20 HP DDS-4 tapes we have, only around 15 seem to work without generating this message. The Windows Backup program will not even recognize that there is a tape in the drive in the first place. Either the ArcServe and Windows Backup programs are faulty AND we've got a lot of bad HP tapes or something is wrong with the drive.
I also have to reboot the server quite often when the lights on the drive remain on and the tape won't eject.
Jastra
2 Posts
0
September 18th, 2003 08:00
"An inconsistency was encountered on the storage media in DELL 1".
I have updated the tape firmware in both, as well as the Veritas tape drivers to the latest releases. On one, I have also updated the PERC-4 firmware and drivers. Oddly enough, although the 2 machines were ordered a few weeks apart with the same RAID-5 spec, one has an Adaptec SCSI board for the tape drive, while the other has the tape on the internal (LSI?) SCSI port.
Veritas don't seem to be able to help. I am getting desperate, as both companies have unreliable backups.
Mr_i
1 Message
0
October 20th, 2003 15:00
I've got the same tape drive, and its started asking for a cleaning tape almost constantly. Has anyone come up with a solution to this yet?
Thanks for any help.
Message Edited by Mr_i on 10-20-2003 11:40 AM
Peter Ogden
2 Posts
0
October 29th, 2003 06:00
I am also having problems with two PE2600 Servers (JDKT61S and 1FKT61S) with Archive Python 06408-XXX DDS4 Drives both with firmware revision 9050 (as supplied).
The tape drive in JDKT61S occasionally fails, throws up a very lengthy LED flash sequence and won't release the tape. This is only cleared by a complete power-off cycle. 1FKT61S occasionally refuses to release the tape, but does not display any LED sequence (also requires power off to release tape).
I have updated Veritas Software and Server firmware (not tape drive firmware) on both servers. Both servers have a separate 39160 SCSI Adaptor that the tape drives are connected to.
Is there anything I can try to rectify this? Powering off a server is inconvenient to say the least, and not having reliable backups is nerve-wracking!
Jastra
2 Posts
0
October 29th, 2003 07:00
The cleaning seems to rely on putting the cleaning tape in 6 to 10 times every time we get a major problem, and cleaning every 10 hours or so otherwise. I understand that some of the Sony DDS4 tapes are the most problematic, particularly when new.
rosht
1 Message
0
October 29th, 2003 15:00
some time it creates archive but only first one, there is not possible append or overwrite data, never finish job properly only jobs like erase tape are terminated correctly but it doesnt the most important, BACK UP.
Some advice would be good please thanx :)
Austin508
1 Message
0
November 25th, 2003 12:00
We have a PE2500SC and just recently began receiving the "clean tape drive" error, after 2 years of no problems. We are using Veritas Backup Exec. Dell sent a new(reconfigured) tape drive and we still have the same problem. We have to clean the tape drive daily.
bmjones
1 Message
0
March 17th, 2004 13:00
Was there ever a solution to this problem. I have a PE2500 with the PV-100t(Python 06408-xxx) on the onboard adaptec scsi controller and so far have had the drive replaced at least 4 times the cable at least twice and the board once. It seemed to get worse after the the last drive before Dell replaced the board. Now it want's a cleaning after every backup. Even a small backup, 200k to 500k I get in the 700s for soft write errors.
eefit
2 Posts
0
April 5th, 2004 08:00
Ditto here, PE 2500, 'Archive Python' tape drive, W2K, BackupExec 9.1 - every service pack and update known to man. (Thanks Dell support for wasting my time there, no effect on the problem at all!).Had 4 tape drives, three SCSI cables and 1 motherboard in 18 months. Starts off OK with each new drive, backups finish without error perhaps 5-10 soft write errors per 10GB backup, and tapes eject properly. After a month we've got 200,000+ soft write errors per tape on a set of 5 brand new tapes with tape drive cleaning at least twice weekly, or every time the 'clean tape' light comes on which is now practically every day. The backups take at least a hour longer with all the extra tape head cleaning, and 2 out of 3 backups end with the tape having to be manually ejected . What makes it worse is that the server sits next to a Compaq Proliant ML350 running the same software - and brand of tape- without a single failure in 18 months, and it's only cleaned once a week.
Come on Dell, at least admit that you've got a problem with these tape drives - once the first month is over even daily cleaning doesn't solve the problem. The fact that the new drives work ok and the performance degenerates must prove that there is a problem with the hardware. Backups should just work, we have enough problems with viruses and security, without having to worry if last night's backup works. Oh, and where are the posts from the Dell moderators on this thread??
This is the only Dell server in our organisation - and the last - HP/Compaq rules here!
mrcbr
2 Posts
0
April 8th, 2004 14:00
gholbrook
3 Posts
0
April 19th, 2004 13:00
I recently spent the weekend reinstalling Windows 2000 server on the machine, with no difference in performance. The problem persists with BackupExec 8.6 and BackupExec 9.0. Media does not seem to make any difference either, as the problem affects multiple brands of media and affects both DDS-3 and DDS-4 media.
We are growing concerned that our decision to use Dell hardware may have been an enormous mistake, as there is clearly something wrong with the server (PE 2500), and Dell has effectively decided not to honor the terms of their warranty by not addressing the problem appropriately. While our misplaced server investment is a frustration, the loss of our data do to some unforseen hardware problem would be catastrophic.