I've got the same problem. 132T, but upgrading from LTO2 to LTO3 drives. Followed the docs verbatim. Flashed all firmware in the library, the drives were already up to date. Library worked great before but won't accept the LTO3's. Now with the library flashed it gives the same error on the LTO2's. Based on this I'm thinking it's not a problem with the drives, but rather with the library itself.
Thanks for you're input but i dont believe this to be a library problem, we have 2 libraries and we have drives that work and drives that dont tried them all in both libraries and the same ones fail.
I think I've got bad news for you. I'm on the phone with Dell to resolve my problem and asked about yours. According to the tech I'm talking to you can't upgrade a 132 from SDLT to LTO. He says it requires a different chasis. He says it's the same model (132T) but a different part# for SDLT than LTO. Sorry. Hope this saves some frustration though.
Thanks for querying this for me its much appriciated, but i wasnt trying to upgrade from SDLT to LTO, I have LTO libraries and LTO drives but some of the drives come up as invalid and some work fine. but the drives work perfectly stand alone. So this is what brings me to think its the drive personality that is either corrupt or wrong.
Are you sure the purchased LTO3 drives you have are not just standalone LTO3 110T drives? You should not be pulling the LTO drives that were in your unit off of the drive sleds and replacing the drive with another drive, this will not work.
When you upgrade the drives in the 132, they should already have drive sleds attached therefore wouldn't work standalone if not plugged into the 132T chassis.
I am having the exact problem that is described here and I was wondering if anyone ever found a solution. I have a Dell PowerVault 132T with two LTO2 drives. One of them just died. I can't seem to find a replacement of the exact model from Dell or anyone else. No one has them anymore. What I did find elsewhere in our organization was a IBM branded drive with almost the same model number and same physical make up. However, when I installed it I now get the invalid drive message and the LTO-TDX Tape drive tool for updating the firmware will not allow me to put the Dell firmware on the drive. I feel like if I was able to get this forced on to the drive that it would work just fine but is related to those vendor personalities. Anyone have any luck?
You will not be able to flash an IBM drive personality with a Dell personality or visa versa... its not that it can not be done its that Dell and IBM do not want customers to accomplish this for various business reasons. What you are missing in the flash routine is what they call a "bridge" firmware, this version of firmware will do, as the name states, bridge one personality to the other. Once the bridge f/w is flashed to the drive you would be able to flash either to a Dell or to an IBM... without the bridge f/w you will not be able to accomplish what it is you are trying to do.
There are various vendors that sell refurbished 132T units as well as drives on the internet if you need to keep your 132T going.
I really appreciate the reply, Bob. You stated exactly what I guessed was the case. I'll keep the thread posted on what I'm able to do. Right now i'm still waiting on my Dell rep to see if they can find a whole sled and if not then my IBM rep has a exact model number that he can ship me to try. I think that may work as long as it is the same model where as the one I have now is a slightly different model. Either way, I'll post my results.
There were two different IBM drives that I tried with different model numbers. Both of them ended up with the same result. The 132T said that it was an invalid drive and the firmware update tool said that it was unable to flash the drive.
We do have a happy ending to the story. We were able to find a 122T autoloader that had the same drive in it that was still under maintenance. We swapped the drives out and are now back up and running with both units.
Moral of the story: Carry maintenance or update your equipment..............if you can.
Blaishon
2 Posts
0
May 28th, 2008 18:00
Nottsguy
8 Posts
0
May 29th, 2008 07:00
Thanks for you're input but i dont believe this to be a library problem, we have 2 libraries and we have drives that work and drives that dont tried them all in both libraries and the same ones fail.
Blaishon
2 Posts
0
May 29th, 2008 12:00
Nottsguy
8 Posts
0
May 29th, 2008 12:00
Calibrate300
51 Posts
0
June 6th, 2008 14:00
Are you sure the purchased LTO3 drives you have are not just standalone LTO3 110T drives? You should not be pulling the LTO drives that were in your unit off of the drive sleds and replacing the drive with another drive, this will not work.
When you upgrade the drives in the 132, they should already have drive sleds attached therefore wouldn't work standalone if not plugged into the 132T chassis.
Jin597_c13928
6 Posts
0
August 21st, 2008 08:00
snowbie
3 Posts
0
May 29th, 2009 08:00
I am having the exact problem that is described here and I was wondering if anyone ever found a solution. I have a Dell PowerVault 132T with two LTO2 drives. One of them just died. I can't seem to find a replacement of the exact model from Dell or anyone else. No one has them anymore. What I did find elsewhere in our organization was a IBM branded drive with almost the same model number and same physical make up. However, when I installed it I now get the invalid drive message and the LTO-TDX Tape drive tool for updating the firmware will not allow me to put the Dell firmware on the drive. I feel like if I was able to get this forced on to the drive that it would work just fine but is related to those vendor personalities. Anyone have any luck?
DELL-Bob D
899 Posts
0
May 29th, 2009 13:00
You will not be able to flash an IBM drive personality with a Dell personality or visa versa... its not that it can not be done its that Dell and IBM do not want customers to accomplish this for various business reasons. What you are missing in the flash routine is what they call a "bridge" firmware, this version of firmware will do, as the name states, bridge one personality to the other. Once the bridge f/w is flashed to the drive you would be able to flash either to a Dell or to an IBM... without the bridge f/w you will not be able to accomplish what it is you are trying to do.
There are various vendors that sell refurbished 132T units as well as drives on the internet if you need to keep your 132T going.
Sorry there isn't an easier fix for you.
Bob
snowbie
3 Posts
0
May 29th, 2009 14:00
I really appreciate the reply, Bob. You stated exactly what I guessed was the case. I'll keep the thread posted on what I'm able to do. Right now i'm still waiting on my Dell rep to see if they can find a whole sled and if not then my IBM rep has a exact model number that he can ship me to try. I think that may work as long as it is the same model where as the one I have now is a slightly different model. Either way, I'll post my results.
snowbie
3 Posts
0
June 16th, 2009 09:00
There were two different IBM drives that I tried with different model numbers. Both of them ended up with the same result. The 132T said that it was an invalid drive and the firmware update tool said that it was unable to flash the drive.
We do have a happy ending to the story. We were able to find a 122T autoloader that had the same drive in it that was still under maintenance. We swapped the drives out and are now back up and running with both units.
Moral of the story: Carry maintenance or update your equipment..............if you can.
Ankit_Test
1 Rookie
•
72 Posts
0
August 8th, 2011 23:00