Data Cartridge Write-Protect Switch
Quantum A-Series Tape Drives User’s Guide 61
• Slide the write-protect switch to the right to disable write protection
(you can write over existing data on the media, and you can append
additional data to the media unless the data cartridge is write-
protected via firmware). When write-protection is disabled, no
orange rectangle is visible.
For more details about the write-protect switch, see table 25.
Table 25 Write-Protect Switch
Positions Write-protect
Switch Position
Orange
Write-protect
Indicator Result
Before Loading the Data Cartridge
Enabled
(Slide switch to
left)
Visible You cannot write data to3 the
media. You cannot overwrite
existing data on the media.
You cannot append
additional data to the media.
Disabled
(Slide switch to
right)
Not Visible Unless the data cartridge is
write-protected via firmware:
- You can write data to the
media.
- You can overwrite existing
data on the media.
- You can append additional
data to the media.
After Loading the Data Cartridge and During Operation
If you move the
write-protect
switch from its
right (disabled)
position to its left
(enabled)
position
Visible If the tape drive is currently
writing to a data cartridge,
the write-protect feature does
not take effect until after the
current write operation
completes.