i need to be able to delete the pool and reuse the tape

then press Y
later on you can remove media and finally the volume pool ;)

Look at your pool and look at the media if there is a Time assigned on the tape in then all the images on the tape have NOT been expired.

at command line try this

bpmedialist -m <media id>
if it comes back with anything is has not been expired

now

bpexpdate -m <media id> -d 0

it will ask if you really want to say yes

then do the bpmedialist again

if it shows anything it is not being expired and you will have to figure out why.

any other ideas ... anyone ???

if you run the image cleanup process bpimage -cleanup -allclients ?

Search for empty media that meet the following criteria:
        Media id: All

Continue? y/n (n)y

maybe this command will help you - its scheduled to ran on daily basis.

The last resort I see is to play with vmquery command, but be warned - play with it with extreme careful ;)

here is synopsis:
"vmquery(1M)
NAME
vmquery - query EMM database, or assign and unassign volumes
SYNOPSIS
/usr/openv/volmgr/bin/vmquery [-h EMM_server | volume_database_host, ...
-h EMM_server | -h volume_database_host, ... -h volume_database_host]
[-vltcid vault_container_id] [-W] [-b | -w] -a | -m media_id | -v
volume_group | -rn robot_number | -rt robot_type | -mt media_type | -p
pool_number | -pn pool_name | -res robot_type robot_number robot_host
rob_slot rob_side | -assignbyid media_id media_type pool_number stat
asg_time | -deassignbyid media_id pool_number stat"

i've used vmquery  with different arguments , still no luck

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/can...

Points from  the above:
SLP in use? (May need to involve Symantec?)
Try the -h host option in bpexpdate.

vmquery -m 000007

Find out if the tape is frozen.

Try: bpmedia -unfreeze -m 000007

Then after unfreezing it, try again:

bpexpdate -deassign_empty -m 000007

If that all does not help. Please send output of:

nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 000007

Then we will see, what is going on with that tape.

I wonder how you managed to get it in there :)

The last thing is: Do you put it manually in that pool?

Try to change the media to scratchpool (with GUI).

I think Andy has hit the nail on the head.

Extract from Nicolai's post in the thread that Andy has mentioned:

I got the invalid parameter message also

But got around the issue by specifying the -h {host_option}.

Try bpexpdate -m STK470 -d 0 -h {media_server_that wrote_the_backup}

*** EDIT ****
Please post output of:
nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid <media-id>

the curious thing I've just noticed from r1's previous post in response to Judys prompt

"...

-bash-3.00#
-bash-3.00# bpexpdate -m 000007 -d 0
Media 000007 is due to expire at 04/18/2010 15:28:00
Are you sure that the data on this media is not critical to
your business, and you are sure you want to delete 000007 y/n (n)? y
invalid command parameter
..."

So already expired (& no images), but still thinks it's due to expire in the past?

The other curious thing is that this media id (000007) is different from the original post (00000A) - or is that just a typo?

It looks like from his prompt that he is using the bash shell.
I use ksh.

Any chance the bash shell does not work with the comand and params?

no

doing this command didn't hep

bpexpdate -m 000007 -d 0 -host <mymachinename>
this is what i get

Media 000007 is due to expire at 04/18/2010 15:28:00
Are you sure that the data on this media is not critical to
your business, and you are sure you want to delete 000007 y/n (n)? y
invalid command parameter

that link that andy posted didn't help .

Please post output of:
nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 000007

Please also share more info about your environment:
Is tmnaim01 your master server or a media server?
If media server, is the server 'alive and well'?

The 'admin' log file might shed a bit of light on how NBU interprets the command and options.
If admin dir does not exist on the master, please create it and try bpexpdate again.
Then post section in log file that deals with bpexpdate.

NetBackup status code: 20

Message: invalid command parameter Explanation: One or more command parameters were not valid. This error can occur when incompatible levels of NetBackup are installed on a master and its media server(s) or client(s). For example, a NetBackup master server has NetBackup 6.5 and the media server or the client has NetBackup 4.5.

This is on the master server and we don't have media servers . Master and media is the same server . I am still struggling with this . anyone ?

Thanks

It may shed some light on the situation.

Otherwise there may be an inconsistency in the EMM d/b that cannot be determined here. This will require the involvement of Symantec who will probably require you run various commands to identify the 'culprit' - place a call with Symantec if you haven't already.

The only other command that comes to light was when I had a "similar" issue with inconsistent images was nbdelete -allvolumes -force followed by bpimage -cleanup -allclients. This was due to some disk images on a decommissioned media server, but there is a T/N that uses this command to clear the error you are seeing:

http://seer.entsupport.symantec.com/docs/347096.htm

(this was why I earlier asked if you were getting the same error on image cleanup)

here is the output
Media 000007 is due to expire at 04/18/2010 15:28:00
Are you sure that the data on this media is not critical to
your business, and you are sure you want to delete 000007 y/n (n)? y
invalid command parameter

also that tecnote didn't help - i tried the delete and it returned nothing but still having the same issue

-bash-3.00# nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 000007
NBEMMCMD, Version:6.5.5
====================================================================
Media GUID:                     78cd3e38-46ee-11df-8000-8a889b4559fe
Media ID:                       000007
Partner:                        -
Media Type:                     HCART
Volume Group:                   000_00000_TLD
Application:                    Netbackup
Media Flags:                    1
Description:                    Added by Media Manager
Barcode:                        000007
Partner Barcode:                --------
Last Write Host:                tmnaim01
Created:                        04/13/2010 15:19
Time Assigned:                  04/16/2010 14:58
First Mount:                    04/16/2010 14:59
Last Mount:                     04/16/2010 15:28
Volume Expiration:              04/16/2010 00:00
Data Expiration:                04/18/2010 15:28
Last Written:                   04/16/2010 15:28
Last Read:                      -
Robot Type:                     TLD
Robot Control Host:             tmnaim01
Robot Number:                   0
Slot:                           15
Side/Face:                      -
Cleanings Remaining:            -
Number of Mounts:               2
Maximum Mounts Allowed:         0
Media Status:                   ACTIVE
Kilobytes:                      0
Images:                         0
Valid Images:                   0
Retention Period:               19
Number of Restores:             0
Optical Header Size Bytes:      1024
Optical Sector Size Bytes:      0
Optical Partition Size Bytes:   0
Last Header Offset:             0
Adamm Guid:                     00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Rsm Guid:                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Origin Host:                    NONE
Master Host:                    tmnaim01
Server Group:                   NO_SHARING_GROUP
Upgrade Conflicts Flag:
Pool Number:                    13
Volume Pool:                    test
Previous Pool Name:             -
Vault Flags:                    -
Vault Container:                -
Vault Name:                     -
Vault Slot:                     -
Session ID:                     -
Date Vaulted:                   -
Return Date:                    -
====================================================================
Command completed successfully.

Any reason why there's a volume expiration date?
The volume expiration date that was added is two days before the data expiration date:

Volume Expiration:          04/16/2010 00:00
Data Expiration:                04/18/2010 15:28

Extract from Admin Guide II:
You can change the expiration date for any volume in the EMM database. The expiration date is the age of the media, not the age of the data on the media. It is when the media is considered too old to be reliable.
When the expiration date of a volume has passed, NetBackup can still read it.
However, NetBackup does not mount an expired volume for a write access.
NetBackup writes a warning message to the system console log for a read access request for an expired volume. NetBackup generates an error message for a write request to an expired volume.

If you remove the volume expiration date you might be able to expire the data with bpexpdate...

This sneaky little expiration date's good at catching you out, not used a lot & therefore oft overlooked perchance?

Ok - sorry for the confusing but here we go , i changed that date manually when i was troubleshooting this issue , i admit that i didn't knowwhat the expiration date was so i changed to the 16th . However , this was after running the expiration and deassign command failed . so i changed the expiration date again but it is istill failing , see bellow

-bash-3.00# nbemmcmd -listmedia -mediaid 000007
NBEMMCMD, Version:6.5.5
====================================================================
Media GUID:                     78cd3e38-46ee-11df-8000-8a889b4559fe
Media ID:                       000007
Partner:                        -
Media Type:                     HCART
Volume Group:                   000_00000_TLD
Application:                    Netbackup
Media Flags:                    1
Description:                    Added by Media Manager
Barcode:                        000007
Partner Barcode:                --------
Last Write Host:                tmnaim01
Created:                        04/13/2010 15:19
Time Assigned:                  04/16/2010 14:58
First Mount:                    04/16/2010 14:59
Last Mount:                     04/16/2010 15:28
Volume Expiration:              01/01/2011 00:00
Data Expiration:                04/18/2010 15:28
Last Written:                   04/16/2010 15:28
Last Read:                      -
Robot Type:                     TLD
Robot Control Host:             tmnaim01
Robot Number:                   0
Slot:                           15
Side/Face:                      -
Cleanings Remaining:            -
Number of Mounts:               2
Maximum Mounts Allowed:         0
Media Status:                   ACTIVE
Kilobytes:                      0
Images:                         0
Valid Images:                   0
Retention Period:               19
Number of Restores:             0
Optical Header Size Bytes:      1024
Optical Sector Size Bytes:      0
Optical Partition Size Bytes:   0
Last Header Offset:             0
Adamm Guid:                     00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Rsm Guid:                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Origin Host:                    NONE
Master Host:                    tmnaim01
Server Group:                   NO_SHARING_GROUP
Upgrade Conflicts Flag:
Pool Number:                    13
Volume Pool:                    test
Previous Pool Name:             -
Vault Flags:                    -
Vault Container:                -
Vault Name:                     -
Vault Slot:                     -
Session ID:                     -
Date Vaulted:                   -
Return Date:                    -
====================================================================
Command completed successfully.

-bash-3.00# bpexpdate -m 000007 -d 0
Media 000007 is due to expire at 04/18/2010 15:28:00
Are you sure that the data on this media is not critical to
your business, and you are sure you want to delete 000007 y/n (n)? y
invalid command parameter

You didn't say, but your nbemmcmd output seems to imply you're running 6.5.5.  Is this the case?  Has this always been the case?

What do the admin and/or bpdbm log say?  Look for "invalid command parameter (20)" and then give us the 10 or so lines preceding that (or anything marked with a severity of <16> or greater).

It's possible there's some cruft in your EMM database that's preventing you from completing this expiration.  If that IS the case, I'm afraid you won't be able to get it fixed here - you'll need to open a case with us... and probably get it escalated, too.

Thanks for the update! Maybe ask the Symantec engineer if this problem is explicitly referenced in the 6.5.6 Release Update doc? If so, Etrack number?