Chapter 2 Getting Started
Safety, Handling, and ESD Protection
•Do not expose the tape drive to moisture.
•Do not place foreign objects inside the tape drive’s receiver area.
Several electrical components of the A-Series tape drive are sensitive to static electricity and electrostatic discharge (ESD). Even a static buildup or discharge that is too slight to feel can be sufficient to destroy or degrade a component’s operation.
To minimize the possibility of ESD-related damage to the system, the drive’s manufacturer strongly recommends using both a workstation anti-static mat and an ESD wrist strap. When correctly installed and properly used, these devices reduce the buildup of static electricity that might harm the system.
Observe the following precautions to avoid ESD-related problems:
•Leave the tape drive in its anti-static bag until you are ready to install it in the system.
•Always use a properly fitted and grounded wrist strap or other suitable ESD protection when handling the tape drive and observe proper ESD grounding techniques.
•Hold the tape drive only by its sides.
•Place the tape drive on a properly grounded anti-static work surface pad when it is out of its protective anti-static bag.
•Do not use the bag as a substitute for the work surface anti-static pad. The outside surface of the bag may not have the same anti-static properties as the inside surface. It could actually increase the possibility of ESD problems.
•Do not remove covers to use any test equipment to check components on the PCBAs. There are no user-serviceable components on the tape drive.
