troubleshooting

technical documentation

http://www.hp.com/support/tape may have a later version

troubleshooting

 

contents of this section

 

 

 

related topics

 

 

help diagnosing the problem

 

 

 

 

 

HP Library & Tape Tools

 

 

 

general guidelines

 

 

 

 

 

TapeAlert

 

 

 

troubleshooting

 

 

 

 

 

firmware upgrades

 

 

problems with the host computer

computer does not boot up computer boots, but does not recognize drive

problems with the drive

the tape drive does not power up

all the LEDs on the front panel blink continually

errors for which you cannot find the cause problems during firmware update

drive does not go into firmware update mode

code update failed interpreting the LEDs

help diagnosing the problem

If you experience problems using your tape drive after installation, use HP Library

&Tape Tools to help you diagnose the problem. HP Library & Tape Tools is

provided free of charge and is invaluable for solving problems with both the SCSI bus and its attached devices. It will help resolve SCSI ID numbers and also run some tests that may help you isolate problems.

You will also find troubleshooting information on the HP Support web site.

The HP Support web site contains links to:

●www.hp.com/support/dlt1 takes you to HP’s Customer Care web site for a wide range of up-to-date information about your product

●www.hp.com/cpso-support/guide/psd/cscinfo.htm takes you to HP's worldwide call center numbers

general guidelines

If you experience problems when using the tape drive, you need to isolate the cause of the problem. For example, if you have just installed a new SCSI host bus adapter and your system will not start, the cause of the problem is likely to be the adapter.

When installing multiple items of hardware and software, we recommend that you install each in turn and restart the system each time. Similarly if you have already installed multiple devices and software and you experience problems, remove or uninstall each in turn to establish which one is causing the problem.

Remember that the system recognizes devices during boot-up. If you swap or connect a product when your system is running, you will need to reboot the system. Rebooting the system will reset devices and will often resolve problems. It is good practice to reboot every time you add a driver or install firmware.

troubleshooting

The first step in problem-solving is establishing whether the problem lies with the cartridge, the drive, the host computer and its connections, or with the way the system is being operated. If none of the following advice helps you solve the problem, refer to our World Wide Web Customer Care pages on www.hp.com/support/dlt1 or call for assistance.

problems with the host computer

Most modern SCSI host bus adapters locate and display attached devices when the system is booting up. If the device is not detected at this stage, there is probably a problem with the physical hardware: cables, termination, connections, power or the HBA itself. Refer to the SCSI topic for a detailed discussion of SCSI

IDs, termination and cabling.

If your drive is found on system boot up but cannot be found in the operating system, this is more likely to be a software problem.

computer does not boot up

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have connected the tape drive

 

Make sure that each device on the SCSI

 

to an existing SCSI bus that has

 

bus has a unique ID. We recommend that

 

 

other devices connected to it and

 

the HP Surestore DLT1 tape drive is

 

 

the SCSI address of your HP

 

connected to a dedicated host bus

 

 

Surestore DLT1 drive is identical to

 

adapter. Do not connect the drive to a disk

 

 

the address used by another

 

RAID controller as this is not supported.

 

 

device.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have installed an additional

 

Remove the new host bus adapter and

 

SCSI host bus adapter and its

 

check the server documentation

 

 

resources are clashing with an

 

 

 

 

existing adapter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have disconnected the power

 

Check that the cables to all devices are

 

or SCSI cable from the computer’s

 

firmly connected.

 

 

boot disk during the drive

 

 

 

 

installation process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

computer boots, but does not recognize the tape drive

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power or SCSI cable is not

 

Check that the cables to the tape drive are

 

connected properly.

 

firmly connected. Ensure that the SCSI

 

 

 

 

cable is LVDS-compliant and that it does

 

 

 

 

not have any bent pins. Replace, if

 

 

 

 

necessary. (See “Ordering Information”.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI bus may not be

 

1. If your HP Surestore DLT1 drive is the

 

terminated correctly.

 

last or only device on the SCSI bus, make

 

 

 

 

sure the device is properly terminated.

 

 

 

 

2. If your HP Surestore DLT1 drive is not

 

 

 

 

the last or only device on the SCSI bus,

 

 

 

 

check all SCSI cable connections and

 

 

 

 

make sure the last device on the SCSI bus

 

 

 

 

is terminated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tape drive’s SCSI ID address

 

Identify the SCSI IDs of existing SCSI

 

is not unique.

 

devices by using HP Library & Tape Tools.

 

 

 

 

Change the drive's SCSI ID. Shut down

 

 

 

 

and turn off the host server or workstation;

 

 

 

 

turn off the desktop drive. Change the

 

 

 

 

drive's SCSI ID. Turn on the host server or

 

 

 

 

workstation and desktop drive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

External drives only: the tape drive

 

Switch on the tape drive, then switch the

 

may have been switched on after

 

computer off and then on again.

 

 

the computer was booted up. The

 

 

 

 

computer checks for SCSI devices

 

 

 

 

only at power-on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI adapter may be

 

Check the SCSI host adapter

 

incorrectly configured.

 

configuration. Refer to the SCSI host

 

 

 

 

adapter manuals for instructions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI cable may be loose.

 

Check both ends of the SCSI cable, both

 

 

 

for the desktop and internal drives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI terminator might be

 

1. Make sure the terminator is properly

 

loose or missing.

 

seated on the open SCSI connector on the

 

 

 

 

rear panel of the desktop drive or on the

 

 

 

 

last device on the SCSI bus.

 

 

 

 

2. Make sure an LVD or SE terminator is in

 

 

 

 

place on the end of the SCSI ribbon cable

 

 

 

 

for the internal drive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI terminator might not be

 

Make sure the terminators are placed only

 

at the end of the SCSI bus or more

 

at each end of the SCSI bus--one at the

 

 

than two terminators might be

 

host adapter and one on the last device on

 

 

present on the SCSI bus.

 

the bus, both internal and external.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI host adapter might be in

 

Move the SCSI host adapter to a different

 

a defective expansion slot.

 

expansion slot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The SCSI bus might be too long.

 

Make sure the total length of the SCSI bus

 

 

 

does not exceed the ANSI SCSI standard

 

 

 

 

of 3 meters (10 feet) for an SE bus, 12

 

 

 

 

meters (40 feet) for an LVD SCSI bus with

 

 

 

 

multiple devices, or 25 meters (82 feet) for

 

 

 

 

an LVD SCSI bus with a single device.

 

 

 

 

 

 

problems with the drive

tape drive does not power up

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The power cable is not connected

 

Check that the cables to the tape drive are

 

properly.

 

firmly connected.

 

 

 

 

Make sure that the power cable is firmly

 

 

 

 

connected.

 

 

 

 

●

For internal drives, try another

 

 

 

 

 

power connector.

 

 

 

 

●

For external drives, the power on/off

 

 

 

 

 

switch incorporates a green LED. If

 

 

 

 

 

this is not on, check the power cable

 

 

 

 

 

connection and replace the cable if

 

 

 

 

 

necessary. You can use the power

 

 

 

 

 

cable from your monitor or another

 

 

 

 

 

device to check that the connection

 

 

 

 

 

is working.

 

 

 

 

If the power supply is present and all LEDs

 

 

 

 

remain off, call for assistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The self-test fails (All three LEDS

 

If there is a cartridge in the drive, remove

 

flashing.)

 

it. Power down the drive and power it up

 

 

 

 

again. If the self-test still fails, call for

 

 

 

 

assistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all the LEDs on the front panel blink continually

Possible cause

Potential solution

An internal drive fault has occurred. 1. Press and hold the Eject button for 6 seconds to reset the drive.

2.Turn the drive off and then on again. If the drive is a HP Surestore DLT1 internal drive, shut down and turn off the host server or workstation, then turn it back on and allow it to boot.

3.Call technical support if Power-On Self- Test (POST) continues to fail.

errors for which you cannot find the cause

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The AC power source may not be

 

1. Plug the HP Surestore DLT1e Desktop

 

 

properly grounded.

 

drive's power cable into a power outlet on

 

 

(HP Surestore DLT1e desktop

 

the same circuit as the host server or

 

 

drive only.)

 

workstation.

 

 

 

 

2. Plug the HP Surestore DLT1e Desktop

 

 

 

 

Drive's power cable into a different power

 

 

 

 

outlet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

problems during firmware update

drive does not go into firmware update mode

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a DLTtape cartridge in the

 

Remove the cartridge from the drive and

 

 

drive.

 

repeat the update process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The drive and its controller

 

The drive's hardware may be damaged

 

 

hardware are not communicating

 

and must be repaired. Refer to our World

 

 

properly.

 

Wide Web Customer Care pages on

 

 

 

 

www.hp.com/support/dlt1 or call for

 

 

 

 

assistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

code update failed

 

Possible cause

 

Potential solution

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. The cartridge is not a valid code

 

Obtain a valid code update cartridge and

 

update cartridge

 

repeat the update process.

 

 

2. The cartridge does not contain a

 

 

 

 

valid code update image file.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The cartridge contains a valid code

 

The drive's controller hardware is probably

 

update image file, but the flash

 

damaged and must be replaced. The drive

 

 

EEPROM programming process

 

resets and runs Power-On Self-Test

 

 

fails.

 

(POST) which fails if the flash EEPROM

 

 

 

 

does not contain a valid code image. If this

 

 

 

 

occurs, you must repair the drive before

 

 

 

 

using it.

 

 

 

 

Refer to our World Wide Web Customer

 

 

 

 

Care pages on www.hp.com/support/dlt1

 

 

 

 

or call for assistance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

interpreting the LEDs

The HP Surestore DLT1 tape drive has three LEDs (light emitting diodes) on the front panel which indicate drive status. The Ready switch is illuminated when power is switched on.

The tape drive performs a power on Power-On Self-Test (POST) whenever power is applied or the drive is reset. The test takes several seconds to complete, after which the drive is ready to use. The following takes place during POST:

1.The LEDS turn on all at once and then turn off.

2.If a cartridge is loaded, the Ready LED flashes during initialization and remains illuminated after POST.

3.If there is no cartridge loaded, all LEDs turn off after POST.

Use the following table to interpret the LED sequences and the appropriate action to take.

 

Symptom

 

Action

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drive fails to execute power-on

 

Check power is being supplied to the drive.

 

 

self-test. LEDs remain off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For external drives, the power on/off switch

 

 

 

 

 

incorporates a green LED. If this is not on, check

 

 

 

 

 

the power cable connection and replace the cable

 

 

 

 

 

if necessary. You can use the power cable from

 

 

 

 

 

your monitor or another device to check that the

 

 

 

 

 

connection is working.

 

 

 

 

 

For internal drives try another power connector.

 

 

 

 

 

If the power supply is present and all LEDs

 

 

 

 

 

remain off, contact the HP Customer Care

 

 

 

 

 

Center.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Caution LED is illuminated.

 

The drive may need cleaning. Load the DLT1

 

 

 

 

cleaning cartridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2000, Hewlett-Packard Company

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