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Tape capacity incorrect

Updated: 22 May 2010 | 9 comments
Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
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I searched the forum and found a bunch of info...but no answers. I'm running BE 10d on Windows 2003 server. I've got a Certance LTO3 Ultrium drive amd I'm using Maxell LTO3 tapes.

Every few days or so BE asks for a second tape for my backups. It doesn't happen every job, just about once a week or so...

Last night, as a test, I inventoried the tape and performed a *quick erase*. I should've checked the available tape capacity, but forgot (duh). This morning, I had to put in another tape because the LTO3 claimed to be full after only 289GB of data - capacity is 400GB (native). I just put in a new tape, and did an inventory and it appeared as , and had no statistics. I labeled the media (instead of doing a "quick erase") and the tape shows 400GB capacity.

Anyone run into anything similar? I have yet to break the 400GB mark on my tape backups...usually they're around 300GB.

Thanks much!

Comments

Keith Langmead's picture
31
Jan
2007
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Have you tried turning off compression to see what effect that has? Should help determine if the problem is with the data being written to the tape, or there is a problem with the compression such that you're getting a negative compression ratio somehow.

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
31
Jan
2007
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Thanks for reply...I will try that tonight.

I would assume an issue with compression would be consistent, and not sporadic, as in my case.

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
02
Feb
2007
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Turning off compression did not work... Tape capacity showed 401GB available, however, when backup to tape job kicked off it asked for a new tape after only 255GB written...

Anyone?

Ken Putnam's picture
02
Feb
2007
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I seem to remember something similar with LTO2 in the early v10 days

As I recall the "solution" was to use the manufacturer utility to initialize/format the tapes before letting BackupExec touch them


Certainly worth a try :-)

If this response answers your concern, please mark it as a "solution"

Bin Fang 2's picture
02
Feb
2007
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Base on Symantec, the issue might be related to the drivers and device firmware used. For more details, see Document ID: 255054

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
06
Feb
2007
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It would appear I'm getting negative compression - 0.6:1 or lower at times. Any thoughts to what might be causing this? I've updated the Veritas tape driver - a bit leery to upgrade firmware as I use a Certance drive, which is now owned by Quantum...
Appreciate the help...

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
08
Feb
2007
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I've upgraded the drive firmware, but still have the issue. Seems I'm not the only one as there are two other recent threads with the same issue.

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
09
Feb
2007
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IT WAS THE TAPES!!!!

Dr. Phil Leonard's picture
09
Feb
2007
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After much troubleshooting, it turned out to be the tape...