How to Remove a Stuck / Jammed Tape From T10000 Drive

Asset ID:	1-71-1013535.1
Update Date:	2017-05-02
Keywords:

Solution Type Technical Instruction Sure

Solution 1013535.1 : How to Remove a Stuck / Jammed Tape From T10000 Drive

Applies to:

Sun StorageTek L180 Tape Library - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun StorageTek SL8500 Modular Library System - Version All Versions and later
Sun StorageTek 9310 Automated Cartridge System - Version Not Applicable and later
Sun StorageTek T10000 Tape Drive - Version All Versions and later
Sun StorageTek SL3000 Modular Library System - Version All Versions and later
All Platforms

Goal

How to Remove a Stuck / Jammed Tape From T10000 Drive

The T10000 tape drive is designed to minimize cartridge related problems, such as load/unload errors, and/or stuck cartridge. This information provides procedures for recovery from cartridge related problems.

Solution

DISPATCH INSTRUCTIONS
    - WHAT SKILLS DOES THE ENGINEER NEED:
Knowledge of the Oracle/STK T10000 Tape Drive

TIME ESTIMATE: 120 minutes
TASK COMPLEXITY: 2

FIELD ENGINEER INSTRUCTIONS:
    - PROBLEM OVERVIEW
Tape Cartridge is physically stuck in tape drive.
    - WHAT STATE SHOULD THE SYSTEM BE IN TO BE READY TO PERFORM THE
    RESOLUTION ACTIVITY?
The tape drives needs to be offline from the Software application and hardware system.

- WHAT ACTION DOES THE ENGINEER NEED TO TAKE:
Prior to physically removing jammed /stuck cartridge, make sure the following actions have been taken to avoid any unnecessary steps:
· In environments that utilize ACSLS or HSC, a forced dismount command has been issued to the drive in question.
·  Force a drive dump. Upload the dump to the SR then notify Tape Hardware Support via the email alias
   tapehw_ww@oracle.com that a dump exists for the stuck tape problem. Make sure the tape did a
   rewind and unload completely. The time to complete this unload may vary depending on how much tape
   was on the machine reel.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The procedure to remove a stuck tape from the T10000 drive is found in the T10000 Tape Drive Service Manual, PN96175 under Chapter 2, "Cartridge Fails to Unload."
http://download-adc.oracle.com/archive/cd_ns/E21107_01/96175revBA/96175revBA.pdf
Refer to the Manual for Pictures, Notes, Cautions in regards to tape removal.

NOTE:
Under NO circumstances should tape drives be returned with Media still inside the drive. If a tape is stuck in a drive, review the Knowledge Base or contact Tape Hardware Support for instructions on how to remove the tape with an email to tapehw_ww@oracle.com include the SR/case number in the subject line of the email.

Following taken from Chapter 2:

Cartridge Fails to Load
When a cartridge fails to load into a tape drive, either the cartridge or the drive is defective.
Use the following guidelines to determine the cause of the load failure.
1. Inspect the cartridge leader section.
2. Load and unload a known-good scratch cartridge into the tape drive.
Note: If the known-good scratch cartridge loads/unloads successfully, return the drive to service.
If the known-good scratch cartridge tape DOES NOT load/unload successfully, the drive must be replaced.
3. Ship the defective drive to Failure Analysis.

Cartridge Fails to Unload
When a cartridge does not unload, even after you have made extra effort,
such as forcing a dump, it is considered "stuck cartridge. The reasons for the cartridge being stuck range from simple loss of power in the drive to mechanical failure in the tape drive or cartridge.

Stuck Cartridge Recovery
To fully evaluate the reason for a stuck cartridge condition, you must place the drive on a work surface, remove the top cover and examine the tape path. The results of your tape path examination will determine the specific steps for recovery.

Drive must be removed from the drive tray.

Cartridge Rewind and Removal, Unbroken Tape Visible:
1. rotate the pinion gear CCW, if required, to move the head cleaner rack away from the machine reel until locator pins are visible in the read/write position view holes.
2. Position the drive to extend the front approximately 7.6 cm (3 in.) beyond the work surface edge.
3. Insert a driver, with a 1/8-inch hex bit, or a Torx T15 bit into the file reel motor shaft, through the access hole on the drive bottom surface.
4.Apply light pressure to the machine reel, and manually rotate the bit driver to begin drawing tape media into the cartridge.
5. continue rewinding the tape media until the tape-to-leader splice emerges from the machine reel.
6.Stop rewinding.
7. rotate the pinion gear CW, as required, to move the head cleaner rack toward the machine reel until the locator pins are visible in the thread/unthread position view holes.
8. Resume rewinding until the leader buckle stops at the tape/leader guide in the cartridge doorway.
9. Rotate the elevator gear, toward the drive rear, to unbuckle the leader, and raise the cartridge to the unload position.
10. Remove the driver and bit from the file reel motor shaft.
11. Remove the cartridge from the drive and set it aside.

Should you have a Leader/Splice Visible, refer to the Cartridge Rewind and Removal instruction in the Service Manual.

Once the media cartridge has been removed from the tape drive (by either the above actions or the following physical procedure), please run load/unload tests to verify the drive is still operational.
Inspect the removed cartridge for possible physical damage to the case, file reel sprocket, leader pin/block, and/or the media itself according to the type of media being worked with.

Note:
If a drive in a library has to be replaced due to a stuck tape in it and the tape cartridge is known to be good, you can re-insert the cartridge into the replacement drive prior to placing the drive/tray assembly back into the library.
As soon as the drive is seen by the library, the tape will be audited and will be put back to his original slot.

OBTAIN CUSTOMER ACCEPTANCE
- WHAT ACTION DOES THE CUSTOMER NEED TO TAKE TO RETURN THE SYSTEM TO
AN OPERATIONAL STATE:
Customer is able to bring drive online and load/unload tapes without a problem.

PARTS NOTE:

REFERENCE INFORMATION::
How to Remove and Replace a Tape Drive in SL8500:ATR:1353584.1:3 (Document ID 1353584.1)
How to Remove and Replace a Defective Tape Drive in SL3000 Library:ATR:1364700.1:2 (Doc ID 1364700.1)
How to Remove and Replace a Drive in a L180/700/1400 Tape Library:ATR:968:3 (Doc ID 1301325.1)

Process For RTD Drives That Are Put Into Maintenance Mode (Doc ID 1278426.1)
How To Get An RTD Out Of Maintenance Mode (Doc ID 1110439.1)
VSM - FSC73D8 RTD is Offline (Doc ID 1119554.1)

Attachments

This solution has no attachment