Troubleshooting and Diagnostics

This section contains information on troubleshooting and diagnosing your autoloader.

Installation Issues

Problems encountered during the installation of the autoloader are usually caused by improper SCSI bus configuration, application software configuration errors, or by an incorrectly configured operating system. If the application software that you are using is not communicating with the autoloader after installation, check the following:

SCSI ID—The autoloader uses one SCSI ID for the tape drive and one SCSI ID for the autoloader robotics. Depending on other devices attached to the same SCSI bus and their SCSI IDs, you may need to change the SCSI ID of the autoloader or tape drive before you can use the autoloader. Review the manuals for the other devices on the SCSI bus or your operating system to determine which SCSI IDs are currently in use. See Changing the SCSI ID for instructions.
SCSI Cabling—Verify that all SCSI cables are securely connected at both ends. Check the length and integrity of your SCSI cabling. The total length of all cables connected to a SCSI bus must not exceed 19 feet (6 meters) for a SCSI-1 SE bus, 10 feet (3 meters) for a Fast SCSI (Narrow or Wide) or an Ultra SCSI (Narrow or Wide) SE bus, 40 feet (12 meters) for an LVD bus with multiple devices, or 82 feet (25 meters) for an LVD bus with a single device. The length of the internal SCSI cabling inside the autoloader is 2 feet (60 cm). This length must be included in any calculations of cable length.
Termination—If the autoloader is the only SCSI device—other than the SCSI host adapter—on the selected SCSI bus, it must be terminated. Likewise, if the autoloader is physically the last SCSI device on the SCSI bus, it must be terminated. Only the devices physically at the beginning and end of the SCSI bus should be terminated. Refer to the manuals supplied with other devices on the SCSI bus for information on enabling or disabling termination on those devices.
To terminate the autoloader, locate the terminator in the accessories package and press it firmly into either of the two SCSI connectors on the rear panel of the autoloader. Secure the terminator by tightening the finger-screws until snug. The supplied terminator is "dual mode" and will work on both Low-Voltage Differential (LVD) and Single Ended (SE) SCSI buses. Check all SCSI and power connections and confirm that the unit is attached to a valid SCSI SE or LVD bus.

Compatibility—Ensure that the autoloader is compatible with the SCSI host adapter and backup application you plan to use. For a list of compatible SCSI adapters and application software, check with your SCSI host adapter manufacturer, backup application vendor, or with Support.

NOTE: The host bus adapter should be LVD. A single ended SCSI host bus adapter will work, but will severely degrade performance. Also, if there are any SE devices on the same SCSI bus, the entire SCSI bus will negotiate down to SE speed and severely degrade performance.

Backup Application Installation—Refer to the documentation included with your backup application for instructions on how to verify proper installation. Most backup software packages require an additional module to communicate with the autoloader robotics.

NOTE: Many backup applications use their own drivers for the autoloader and drive. Before installing a driver, make sure it will not be in conflict with the software.

Device Driver Installation—Make sure that the proper device driver, if applicable, is installed for the autoloader. Contact your support representative for more information.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Table 1 describes troubleshooting problems and solutions encountered with the autoloader power source, tape media, cleaning equipment, and SCSI commands.

Table 1 Troubleshooting Table

Problem	Solution
Power
Autoloader does not power on	Check all power cord connections. Make sure the power switch on the front panel is in the ON position. Make sure there is power to the outlet. Try another working outlet. Replace the power cord. Contact your service representative.
No display messages appear	Make sure the power cord is connected. Make sure the power switch is on. Power cycle the autoloader. Download autoloader firmware. Contact your service representative.
Tape Movement
Tape stuck in drive	Power cycle the autoloader, allow it to complete initialization, which in rare cases can take as long as 10 minutes, and then retry unloading the tape using the autoloader Operator Panel controls. Allow the tape drive to complete all operations. This may take as long as ten minutes if you reset or cycle power on the autoloader while the cartridge is positioned at the physical end of the media. Make sure that the backup software is not reserving the slot or preventing the tape drive from ejecting the cartridge. The backup software needs to cancel the reservation and any hold it has on the tape drive. Temporarily disconnecting the autoloader from the host server eliminates the host and its software as a problem source. Contact your service representative.
Tape stuck in storage slot	See Removing Stuck Cartridges From Slots.
Media
Cleaning or data cartridge incompatible with drive.	Make sure you are using cleaning and data cartridges that are compatible with the drive. The autoloader automatically unloads incompatible cartridges to their original slots, the Media Attention LED flashes, and an exclamation point (!) appears in the inventory display for the indicated slot number.
Cannot write to or read from tape.	Make sure that the cartridge is write enabled (move the write-protect switch to the enabled position). Make sure that the cartridge has not been written using an incompatible format. Make sure that the cartridge is an acceptable format for your drive type (see Technical Specifications). Make sure that the cartridge has not been exposed to harsh environmental or electrical conditions and is not physically damaged in any way. Many backup applications do not read or write to cartridges that were created using a different backup application. In this case, you may have to perform an erase, format, or label operation on the cartridge. Make sure you understand any data protection or overwrite protection schemes that your backup application may be using, which could prevent you from writing to a given cartridge. Retry the operation with a different, known good tape. Clean the tape drive. See Cleaning the Tape Drive.
SCSI ID
Changed drive SCSI ID, but the host server does not recognize the new ID.	Make sure that all SCSI devices on the same bus have unique ID numbers. If the SCSI bus is narrow (50-pin) only SCSI IDs 0 through 7 are available. Make sure that you cycle power on the autoloader after changing the SCSI ID. Reboot the host server.
Autoloader Performance
The autoloader is not efficiently backing up data.	Check the network bandwidth from the host computer. If you are backing up data over a network, consider comparing to a local-only backup. Make sure the autoloader and tape drive are on their own SCSI bus and not daisy-chained to another tape drive or to the hard drive being backed up. Make sure the autoloader is connected to a LVD SCSI bus and there are no SE devices on the same bus, because this will cause the entire bus to negotiate down to SE speed. Clean the tape drive. See Cleaning the Tape Drive for instructions. Try a new cartridge. A marginal cartridge can cause performance problems due to bad spots on the tape requiring retries. Backing up compressed data will lower performance. Check the size of the files. Small file size can impact performance. Confirm that the backup application is utilizing block sizes of at least 32KB, preferably 64KB. Refer to the backup application documentation for details.
Cleaning
Cannot load the cleaning cartridge.	Make sure you are using an allowed cleaning cartridges (see Technical Specifications). Contact your service representative.
Media Attention LED Issues
Contamination by loose debris.	Avoid contamination by ensuring that the autoloader is installed in a clean, contamination-free environment. Cartridges should be stored vertically in their plastic cases. Continue cleaning the tape drive as needed.
Contamination by head staining. (Caused by adhesion of chemicals that are present in the tape media to the head surface.)	One or two passes with a cleaning cartridge should resolve the Media Attention LED caused by normal head staining. If a cleaning cartridge is unsuccessful in resolving a cleaning light after 3 or more attempts, the cleaning cartridge may be contaminated, and should NOT be used in another drive.
Non-acclimated media	A cartridge should be acclimated for at least 24 hours before being used, particularly if it has been stored at a substantially different temperature or level of humidity than the autoloader.
Cleaning cartridge is incompatible	Make sure you are using an allowed cleaning cartridges (see Technical Specifications).
Expired cleaning cartridge	Verify the number of cleanings per cleaning tape for your media type (see Technical Specifications).
Bad/defective/contaminated media	If the Media Attention LED is cleared and the drive has been cleaned, and then immediately reappears each time a particular cartridge is reloaded, that cartridge should be suspected as being defective, if it is not an invalid cleaning cartridge. If this occurs, export the cartridge and load a known good cartridge. In some cases, a cartridge can be worn out, have a defective Cartridge Memory, or have been formatted as a Firmware Upgrade Cartridge. Any cartridge that is suspected of being defective or contaminated should NOT be reused in any drive.
Errors Displayed on Front Panel
“!” in autoloader operator panel inventory display	See Operating the StorEdge L8 Autoloader for more information.
There is an error code on the LCD display	Look up the error code, try to resolve the failure, and power cycle (see Viewing Autoloader Error Codes).
Device Not Detected on SCSI Bus
Connected to a high voltage differential SCSI bus/host adapter	Attach device to a LVD SCSI host adapter/bus. SCSI cable length exceeded, use shorter cable, or remove other devices from the bus. Device not properly terminated (see Installation Issues). Power on device before powering on the host computer. Check that the device has been powered on and is not in an error state.
SCSI Errors
Connected to a high voltage differential SCSI bus/host adapter	Attach device to a LVD SCSI host adapter/bus. SCSI cable length exceeded, use shorter cable, or remove other devices from the bus. Device not properly terminated (see Installation Issues).
SCSI ID
Changed drive SCSI ID, but the host server does not recognize the new ID.	Make sure that all SCSI devices on the same bus have unique ID numbers. If the SCSI bus is narrow (50-pin) only SCSI IDs 0 through 7 are available. Make sure that you cycle power on the autoloader after changing the SCSI ID. Reboot the host server.

Removing Stuck Cartridges From Slots

If the autoloader experiences a severe mechanical problem or if you need to remove cartridges because of a power failure or other circumstance in which the autoloader is unable to export the cartridges in the carousel, follow these steps.

NOTE: Contact your support representative if a cartridge is stuck in the drive.

To remove stuck cartridges from slots

Move the power switch on the front panel to the OFF position. You may need to use the tip of a pen or similar item to move the power switch.
Remove the power cable and SCSI cables from their connectors on the back panel of the autoloader.

WARNING: TO PREVENT INJURY, DISCONNECT THE POWER AND SCSI CABLES BEFORE REMOVING THE AUTOLOADER COVER AND KEEP FINGERS AWAY FROM THE FAN.

Remove the autoloader from its rack slot, if applicable, and place it on a table or other clear work surface.
Use a screwdriver to remove the screws that secure the mounting brackets (if the autoloader is rack-mounted) from both sides of the autoloader.
Remove the five screws on the back, and the screw on each side of the autoloader to loosen the autoloader cover.

Autoloader Back Panel

Remove the top cover by lifting it from the back and easing it out from under the front panel display cover.

Lift the cartridge carrier, with each cartridge you want to remove, straight up from the autoloader.

NOTE: To remove the carrier directly in front of the mail slot, gently rotate the carousel counterclockwise by moving the belt or carriers until the carrier is no longer in front of the mail slot.

On each carrier, carefully pull the cartridge lock lever away from the carrier, allowing the cartridge to slide out of the carrier.

Removing Stuck Cartridges from the Autoloader LTO Ultrium1 Tape Drive

After removing the cartridges from the desired carriers, reinstall each carrier on the autoloader belt.

Make sure that the rollers on the bottom of the carrier are aligned in the carrier tracks.
Make sure that the belt post beneath each carrier are inserted into the proper autoloader belt loop.

NOTE: There are unused loops on the belt. The proper belt loops have an extra bump on the outside of the loop.

Removing Stuck Cartridges from the Autoloader LTO Ultrium1 Tape Drive Belt Loops

Ensure the carrier is properly installed on the belt by gently pressing on the top of the carrier and sliding it back and forth. If it is properly attached to the belt, it should not move. If it does, reinstall the carrier.
Replace the top cover of the autoloader and reinstall the eleven cover screws and mounting brackets.

Viewing Autoloader Error Codes

If an error occurs during operation of the autoloader, the autoloader stops the current operation and displays an error code on the top line of the LCD screen. Unless otherwise noted in Table 2, attempt to resolve the error by cycling power on the autoloader and retrying the last operation. If the error persists, contact Support.

To view the most recent error logs and events, see Viewing Event Logs.

Table 2 provides a description of each of the error codes.

Table 2 Error Codes

Error Code	Description	Details
81H	Invalid command error.	This error indicates that the autoloader received an undefined command or an invalid parameter to a command. This is most likely caused by software, diagnostic tools, or the driver.
82H	Device status not suitable to execute this command.	If the robotics are busy, some commands cannot be executed at the same time. This error indicates a probable violation. This is not an error condition, but does result in busy being reported to the host for the requested SCSI command.
83H	Inventory not valid.	The cartridge inventory is not valid because of manual changes or previous fatal errors. Update the inventory using the Re-inventory option in the Configuration menu (see Re-Inventory of Cartridges) or cycle power.
84H	Source element not ready.	There is no cartridge in the location where a cartridge move was issued.
85H	Destination element not ready.	The location where a cartridge move was issued already contains a cartridge.
86H	Mail slot access rejected.	User attempted to access the mail slot, but media removal was prevented by the host. This is usually caused by software restricting access to the unit.
87H	Operation timeout.	A command did not complete in the required amount of time. Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact your technical support representative.
88H	Communications error during loop-back.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
89H	System test timeout	There was a communication timeout between the drive and loader during the System Test. Using invalid media or getting a SCSI bus reset can cause this error.
8FH	Recovered loader error.	Loader error recovery successful. Retries are often associated with bus resets since it takes longer to complete a command that was retried. They may also indicate parts that are wearing out.
90H	Mechanical Initialization failure.	The robotics were not able to move to the safe mechanical initialization position. Manual intervention is necessary.
91H	Inventory scan failure.	Fatal robotic error occurred during the inventory scan. Power cycle the autoloader and see if the error repeats.
92H	Preposition failed.	Belt positioning error occurred during Preposition command.
93H	Cartridge load error.	A failure occurred while trying to load a cartridge from the drive to its slot.
94H	Cartridge unload error.	A failure occurred while trying to unload a cartridge from the drive to its slot.
95H	Import error.	An error occurred while trying to import a data cartridge to a carousel slot.
96H	Export error.	An error occurred while trying to export a data cartridge from its carousel slot. Can be caused by an empty slot that is expected to be full.
A0H	Carousel motion failure.	Error occurred during carousel movement (position not found). Could be caused by a missing or misaligned cartridge carrier, an obstruction, or an unexpected cartridge in the carousel path.
A1H	Cartridge transport position error.	Cartridge transport element is unable to reach its desired position. Failure occurred while trying to place a cartridge into or remove a cartridge from the drive or a slot.
A2H	Gripper position error.	Gripper unable to reach position.
A3H	Cartridge pick error.	Error occurred while trying to pull a cartridge from the drive or a carousel slot.
A4H	Mail slot position error	The mail slot door was not in the requested position during device operation. Can be caused by manually opening the door or a cartridge or other obstruction is blocking the door. Try removing the cartridge or obstruction, then power cycle or reset the autoloader.
A5H	Fan Error.	Autoloader processor detected a fan error.
B0H	ROM error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact your technical support representative.
B1H	RAM error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact your technical support representative.
B2H	NVRAM error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact your technical support representative.
B3H	Controller timer failure	An unrecoverable failure has occurred in the mail controller timer circuit.
B4H	Loader to drive communication IC error.	Failure in IC handling loader to drive communication.
B5H	Display error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
B6H	Memory error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
B7H	Timeout on autoloader command.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
BCH	Drive has recorded an over-temperature condition.	Cycle power on the autoloader. Verify that the fan is operational. If the error recurs, contact Support.
BDH	BDH No connection to drive	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
BEH	BEH Generic Drive response error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.
BFH	BFH Fatal error.	Cycle power on the autoloader and attempt the operation again. If the error recurs, contact Support.

Moving or Shipping the Autoloader

If you ever need to move your autoloader to a new location or ship it back to Sun in exchange for a replacement unit, follow the instructions below. Moving or shipping the unit involves the following procedures:

removing media
removing cables/terminators
de-racking (if applicable)
removing the barcode reader (if applicable)

Removing Media

You must remove all media from the autoloader before shipping.

To remove media

Verify that the drive is empty.
If the drive contains a tape, unload it.
Refer to the backup software documentation or use the front panel menu.
Remove all tapes from the autoloader.

Removing Cables

Remove all cables and/or terminators from the autoloader before shipping.

To remove cables

Power off the autoloader.

CAUTION: Do not power off the autoloader until the interface is inactive. Removing power from a SCSI peripheral when the bus is active can result in data loss and/or indeterminate bus states. If your host system is connected to a LAN, be sure to check with your system administrator before powering off.

Disconnect the power cable from the back of the autoloader.
Disconnect the SCSI cable from the host and the back of the autoloader.
Remove the terminator from the back of the autoloader.

NOTE: If the autoloader is being moved internally, keep the power cable, SCSI cable, and terminator installed on the unit. If the autoloader is being replaced, keep the cables and terminator at your site and do not ship them with the unit.

De-racking the Autoloader

Use the following instructions to properly de-rack your autoloader.

Tools Required

# 2 phillips screwdriver
small flat blade screwdriver

To de-rack the autoloader

Using a # 2 Phillips screwdriver, remove the screws that secure the side brackets to the rack cabinet.
INSERT GRAPHIC HERE
Slide the autoloader out of your rack and place the autoloader on a cleared, flat working area.
Using a small flat blade screwdriver, remove the four screws that secure the side brackets to the autoloader (two on each side).
Store the side plates in a secure location.
Re-install the four screws back into the right and left side of the autoloader (two on each side).
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Removing a Barcode Scanner

If your autoloader contains a barcode scanner, remove it before shipping the unit.

NOTE: You must remove the barcode reader from the autoloader before shipping.

Tools Required

small flat blade screwdriver

To remove a barcode reader

Locate the barcode reader on the rear panel of the autoloader. Using a flat blade screwdriver, unscrew the two screws that secure the barcode scanner to the autoloader.
Unplug the barcode reader cable from the autoloader outlet.
INSERT GRAPHIC HERE
Replace the cover panel on the back of the autoloader, using the screws that secured the barcode scanner to the autoloader.
The cover panel will prevent dust and other foreign items from entering the autoloader.

INSERT GRAPHIC HERE

Store the barcode reader in a cool dry place.

Contacting Support

Before contacting support, follow these steps—which will help you take full advantage of your call:

Review all documentation carefully. Experience has demonstrated that most questions are answered in your documentation.
Be prepared to explain whether the software or hardware has worked properly at anytime in the past. Have you changed anything recently?
Pinpoint the exact location of your problem, if possible. Note the steps that led to the problem. Are you able to duplicate the same problem or is it a one-time occurrence?
Note any error messages displayed on your PC screen or file server. Write down the exact error message.
If at all possible, call while at your computer, with Sun's system installed and turned on.
If running on a network, have all relevant information available (i.e., type, version #, network hardware, etc.).

Be prepared to provide:

Your name and your Company's name
Model number
Serial number of autoloader (located on the back of the unit)
Serial number of drive assembly accessed using the autoloader's Information menu (see Viewing Firmware Version)
Software version numbers

device driver
archive/restore

Hardware configuration, including firmware version, date and number
Type of system, OS version, clock speed, type of HBA installed, network type, network version, and any special boards installed
A brief description of the problem
Where you purchased the Sun system

Having this information available when you call for customer assistance will enable Sun to resolve your problem in the most efficient manner possible.

Support Contact Information

To contact Sun Support, refer to Consulting, Training and Support (http://www.sun.com/service/contacting/solution.html) to find the Support Center nearest to you.