Backup Drive error

Jim Jensen · April 04, 2011, 02:13:51 PM

I've been getting a periodic error from my backup drive, through Backup Exec. It's a PowerVault DAT drive from Dell that I ordered with the server in 2007. I put new tapes into service last summer, from HP. I've had repeated issues with an error from the drive indicating that the heads need to be cleaned. I've repeatedly done so and it sometimes comes back within a day or two of running the cleaning tape. The error is "Error : e00084ec - A tape read/write error has occurred". Solutions page, http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=TECH5433 shows lots of possibilities, including bad cable termination, bad cables, bad tapes, dirty tapes, driver issues. I've not changed any cabling, drivers or anything since before the issue started occurring. I don't necessarily suspect the tapes, because I don't think the issue started at the same time as replacing the tapes. I did buy the warranty extension from Dell, so one solution is to call them, but wondering if the IT brains here have quick suggestions or experience.

Mark · April 04, 2011, 02:24:24 PM

Since it's under warranty, I would call them. I have had a Dell LTO-3 drive replaced 4 or 5 times during it's warranty. I have also had internal and external cables replaced during warranty. The tape guys at Dell are pretty decent.

That said, how old is your cleaning tape? Have you updated any drivers for the tape drive? Are you using the Symantec drivers that BU can install, or Dell/IBM/Microsoft, etc drivers? Is the size of your backup fitting on the tape -- ignoring any compressed values (assume the lowest GB specified on the tape)? If external, make sure the cable is visually in good condition, not pinched, melted, etc.

Jim Jensen · April 04, 2011, 02:50:44 PM

running diagnostic file that Dell has in support area. It looks like it may include firmware - will update them. The cleaning tape is probably 4 years old, maybe less - I have 2 or 3. Will also check for updated drivers. Then, unles someone here says - "I had exactly that and this is the issue", will call support if it continues. No reason to suspect that brand of tape would be an issue (as Symantec wants to imply it could)?

Mark · April 04, 2011, 02:53:27 PM

Before you update the firmware, I would try everything else. Cleaning tapes are only good for so many uses, so make sure you have not exceeded that and maybe try a different/new one. You didn't mention the drivers for the tape drive -- I would start there AFTER changing your cleaning tape.

Modified
Sorry, you did mention the drivers, but yeah, I would start there. lol

Jim Jensen · April 13, 2011, 08:40:37 AM

Dell is shipping me a replacement drive. Hopefully it will cure it.

Jeff Golas · April 19, 2011, 12:15:10 PM

I'll second what Mark says...backup drives never seem to last, and random errors without doing anything else is not firmware no matter what the vendor tries to make you believe.

Jim Jensen · April 19, 2011, 04:39:43 PM

New one installed and seems to be ok. It doesn't like 1 or 2 of my tapes, but will deal with that. The swap was quick and painless. Took more time for the periodic vacuuming of the fans and such than swapping the drive. Funny part aobut the tape it doesn't like - it tells me that it doesn't recognize it and I should erase to make it usable, but it immediately ejects it, so I can't erase it!

Jeff Zylstra · April 19, 2011, 05:10:20 PM

Time for a new IOSafe backup unit and some removable USB hard drives.

Jim Jensen · April 20, 2011, 11:13:12 AM

Quote from: Jeff Zylstra on April 19, 2011, 05:10:20 PM
Time for a new IOSafe backup unit and some removable USB hard drives.

I am going to consider the IOSafe option very seriously. Just need to sit down and look at again and verify whether I need to get an eSata card or not.

Gene Foraker · April 20, 2011, 01:49:16 PM

Quote from: Jim Jensen on April 20, 2011, 11:13:12 AM
Quote from: Jeff Zylstra on April 19, 2011, 05:10:20 PM
Time for a new IOSafe backup unit and some removable USB hard drives.

I am going to consider the IOSafe option very seriously. Just need to sit down and look at again and verify whether I need to get an eSATA card or not.

In my experiences with the beasts, you probably don't need a full card. Almost any computer in the past 6 years has included SATA on the MB. All you need is a cable from the SATA on the MB to a plug on the back of the computer. It really isn't an interface "card" since it doesn't plug into a EISA slot, just an opening on the computer. Memory fails me now on what they are called. You then take a eSATA cable from the external drive to plug into the back of the computer. The last 2 external enclosures I have bought included the interface and cables with the enclosure. It is a little odd that the Iosafe does not.

Orlando Alonzo · April 20, 2011, 03:03:52 PM

I made a friend of mine buy the Iosafe solo (not pro) from Newegg a few days ago. 1.5TB USB 2.0 for $209 free shipping. It is used in conjunction with Acronis 10 Advanced Server and it works like a champ. Nothing to setup. Server assigned drive letter, and I had him create 2 folders 1 for full and 1 for incremental.

Full backups on tapes with verify generally took about 9 hours (really slow server). Full backup with validation on Iosafe took about 6 hrs. I'm guessing incrementals should take about 2 hours with validation.

BTW, I thought it would be bigger - footprint wise.

Jeff Zylstra · April 20, 2011, 03:37:02 PM

Quote from: Orlando Alonzo on April 20, 2011, 03:03:52 PM
I made a friend of mine buy the Iosafe solo (not pro) from Newegg a few days ago. 1.5TB USB 2.0 for $209 free shipping. It is used in conjunction with Acronis 10 Advanced Server and it works like a champ. Nothing to setup. Server assigned drive letter, and I had him create 2 folders 1 for full and 1 for incremental.

Full backups on tapes with verify generally took about 9 hours (really slow server). Full backup with validation on Iosafe took about 6 hrs. I'm guessing incrementals should take about 2 hours with validation.

BTW, I thought it would be bigger - footprint wise.

Just a side note, Alonzo. Depending on the version of Acronis software he is using, it is possible to have it do a verify before the backup, and also after the backup - all in the same backup task. There are also options to verify just that particular backup and also the entire backup archive. If you store more than one backup on a tape or disk, it may make sense to have it only check the most current backup.

Orlando Alonzo · April 20, 2011, 04:43:40 PM

It's set to do a verify of the most current backup after the backup has run. Using ABR10. The option that I wished it had is the ability to schedule the full backup and save it to a specific location and have the incremental save to another location all in the same backup plan. I know there's a dual destination option that automatically copies the backup to another location, but it's not what we're looking for.

Jeff Zylstra · April 21, 2011, 08:52:11 AM

Quote from: Orlando Alonzo on April 20, 2011, 04:43:40 PM
It's set to do a verify of the most current backup after the backup has run. Using ABR10. The option that I wished it had is the ability to schedule the full backup and save it to a specific location and have the incremental save to another location all in the same backup plan. I know there's a dual destination option that automatically copies the backup to another location, but it's not what we're looking for.

Sorry, sounds like the server is just slow. As an experiment, is it possible to run to backup tasks concurrently? I don't know the ramifications of doing that, but it might be worth asking on the Acronis forums. Hey, maybe they need an IOSAFE with eSATA!

Orlando Alonzo · April 21, 2011, 10:10:59 AM

Quote from: Jeff Zylstra on April 21, 2011, 08:52:11 AM
Quote from: Orlando Alonzo on April 20, 2011, 04:43:40 PM
It's set to do a verify of the most current backup after the backup has run. Using ABR10. The option that I wished it had is the ability to schedule the full backup and save it to a specific location and have the incremental save to another location all in the same backup plan. I know there's a dual destination option that automatically copies the backup to another location, but it's not what we're looking for.

Sorry, sounds like the server is just slow. As an experiment, is it possible to run to backup tasks concurrently? I don't know the ramifications of doing that, but it might be worth asking on the Acronis forums. Hey, maybe they need an IOSAFE with eSATA!

I believe it's is possible, but will just eat up too much resources on a 5 year old server with 1 GB of RAM.

The incremental took less than an 1 hour roughly 9GB. I thought of the eSATA, but the price for the USB 2.0 version was too good to pass up.

Jim Jensen · April 21, 2011, 02:38:32 PM

Ok, I found these two ports on the back of my server (first image). Thought maybe they were eSata, but I don't think so now. SCSI connections?

Jim Jensen · April 21, 2011, 02:39:14 PM

I found an image online for eSATA cable/ports to plug into the MB. Gene, is that what you have in mind, as far as cabling goes and not buying an expansion card? (Had to split the post due to total image size being too large.)

Jeff Zylstra · April 21, 2011, 03:47:52 PM

No, the top one is SCSI of some variety (there are a few flavors with different pin counts), and the bottom is SATA. You will want eSATA, which is different. eSATA will be flat, whereas SATA will have be an L shaped plug

Gene Foraker · April 22, 2011, 10:21:36 AM

Quote from: Jim Jensen on April 21, 2011, 02:39:14 PM
I found an image online for eSATA cable/ports to plug into the MB. Gene, is that what you have in mind, as far as cabling goes and not buying an expansion card? (Had to split the post due to total image size being too large.)

Yes, that type of pass-through cable is really all you need. It came with each of the external enclosures I have purchased. Several of the more recent home computers I have built have eSATA connections on the front and I did a similar internal connection for those.

While I do have an external hard drive for backup connected to my home PC, the external enclosures I mentioned were for my Warner cable TV DVR box which can take an external eSATA storage drive to boost its capacity. TWC does not advertise that ability, but it is simple.

Jim Jensen · April 22, 2011, 11:06:52 AM

IOSafe ordered. I think my Thinkpad has an eSata connection on it - will see if that one works to try it out when it arrives until I get the proper connections on the server.

Orlando Alonzo · April 22, 2011, 11:13:48 AM

Quote from: Jim Jensen on April 22, 2011, 11:06:52 AM
IOSafe ordered. I think my Thinkpad has an eSata connection on it - will see if that one works to try it out when it arrives until I get the proper connections on the server.

Nice. Did you go with the pro? You didn't forget to apply the 20% AU discount, right?

Jim Jensen · April 22, 2011, 02:20:18 PM

Quote from: Orlando Alonzo on April 22, 2011, 11:13:48 AM
Quote from: Jim Jensen on April 22, 2011, 11:06:52 AM
IOSafe ordered. I think my Thinkpad has an eSata connection on it - will see if that one works to try it out when it arrives until I get the proper connections on the server.

Nice. Did you go with the pro? You didn't forget to apply the 20% AU discount, right?

Did go pro and did indeed remember the discount.

Jim Jensen · April 28, 2011, 03:43:14 PM

Iosafe arrived today. Here's a shot of the cord - the eSata card I posted a photo of would not work. That one has a small piece sticking upward on the male connector that the cord connection will not accomodate. It also came with a USB cable. I can try it with my laptop, but will have to use USB connection. The connection on the laptop I thought could eSATA is a display port that I'm not familiar with. Will have to order an eSATA cable or card for the server before using with it.