Chapter 8. Cartridge Care and Handling
This chapter describes the care and handling of the IBM 3590 High Performance Cartridge Tape and 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 page 87 for information about damaged cartridges. To avoid 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 page 87.) 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.
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