problem with scsi device

[Wilko Bulte]

On Fri, Jan 23, 2004 at 12:07:36PM -0800, Doug White wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Jan 2004, Roberto Nunnari wrote:
> 
> > <ARCHIVE Python 06408-XXX 9050> Removable Sequential Access SCSI-3 device
> 
> > it seams that if I use a new tape, then I can dump on it..
> > but if I try to overwrite the tape, it starts behaving funny.
> > also.. anytime I try to write to a non new tape, it will
> > make errors and turn on the dirt led.
> > The result is that it's not possible to make any reliable
> > dump/restore on it.
> >
> > the tape drive is less than 1 year old and the tapes are
> > of good quality.
> 
> My experience with this on DLT tapes is that this is caused by a damaged
> head assembly or something is seriously out of alignment. In other words,
> its not something you can fix. If it is less than a year old, then it
> should still be under warranty. I suggest you take advantage of that.

As a side note: make sure you do not mount DLT drives with the head
assembly too close to source of electrical noise. Particularly
switching power supplies are know to cause "head cleaning needed" LEDs
which are plain bogus. I have personal experience with this phenomenon.

-- 
Wilko Bulte				wilko at FreeBSD.org