Chapter 8. Cartridge Care and Handling
This chapter describes the care and handling of the IBM 3590 High
Performance Cartridge Tapeand Extended High Performance Cartridge Tape.

Unpacking the Cartridges

Unpack and inspect each cartridge to ensure that the leader block is correctly
latched. If not, push the leader block toward the cartridge until it catches in
the latch.
Before you use the cartridges, condition them, for at least 24 hours, to the
normal operating environment. See “Operating Environment”on page 95.

Handling the Cartridges

Incorrect handling or an incorrect environment can damage the magnetic tape
or the cartridges. See “Damaged Cartridges”on page87 for information about
damaged cartridges. Toavoid damage to your tape cartridge and to ensure
continued high reliability on your subsystem, perform the following:
vWhen you load a cartridge into the tape subsystem or you handle a
cartridge, ensure that the cartridge case is clean. Dirty tape cartridges can
cause problems in loading or the loss of recorded data. If a cartridge case
is dirty,follow the instructions in “Cleaning the Tape Cartridge”on page 70.
vDo not carry cartridges loosely in a box or basket. The leader blocks can
catch on other cartridges and be unlatched. If the leader block is not
correctly latched into the cartridge, loading errors can occur.
vDo not lift or carry the cartridges by the leader block or use the leader
block to restrain the cartridge. This could unlatch or damage the leader
block and result in loading errors.
vDo not load a damaged tape cartridge into a tape drive. Damaged
cartridges can interfere with the reliability of your subsystem. (For specific
information about damaged cartridges, see “Damaged Cartridges”on
page87.) If a cartridge is dropped, inspect it for damage before you use it.
vDo not release the leader block and pull tape from the cartridge. An opened
cartridge can damage the tape leader block, and tape attachment, and can
cause load failures. See “Damaged Cartridges”on page 87.
vDo not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can
damage the tape surface or tape edges, which may interfere with read or
write reliability.Pulling on tape that is outside the cartridge can damage the
tape and the brake mechanism in the cartridge.
© Copyright IBM Corp. 1995, 2001 85