DAT tape not ejecting from server?

DoubleCheese · 6 Apr 2009 at 10:00

Any ideas on how to remove a DAT tape from the drive? Our server backs up to tape each night but has now stopped ejecting the tape so I can swap it (we have two copies) and hasn't backed up for a few nights.

Is this a sign that its time to move to external HDD type backups...?

Thanks.

Sin_Chase · 6 Apr 2009 at 10:08

No, its a sign your backup is not running for what could be 1000s of reasons.

What brand tape drive?
What backup software?
Logs?

bad_ass_neil · 6 Apr 2009 at 10:30

if our old tape deck locked up like that a reboot of the server normally fixed it. then we could eject it.

as above though could be a thousand reasons.

DoubleCheese · 6 Apr 2009 at 10:59

The server is a Dell PowerEdge 800.
The DAT drive has the following on it "DAT72 Digital Data Storage", under Device Manager its called a Quantum DAT Tape drive.

The backup is handled by MS SBS 2003

Here the last error log:

04/04/2009 19:30
-------------------------------
Date: 04/04/2009
Time: 19:30
User: SYSTEM
-------------------------------

Backup Runner started.
NTMS session started successfully.
EnumerateNtmsObject(NTMS_LIBRARY) succeeded.
Will enumerate on 3 media libraries found.
GetNtmsObjectInformation(NtmsLibraryInfo) succeeded.
GetNtmsObjectInformation(NtmsLibraryInfo) succeeded.
Found an enabled library.
InventoryNtmsLibrary(NtmsInventoryOmid) succeeded.
Identify Media completed
EnumerateNtmsObject(NTMS_PHYSICAL_MEDIA) succeeded.
Will enumerate on 0 media types found.
GetNtmsObjectInformation(NtmsLibraryInfo) succeeded.
Found an enabled library.
InventoryNtmsLibrary(NtmsInventoryOmid) succeeded.
Identify Media completed
EnumerateNtmsObject(NTMS_PHYSICAL_MEDIA) succeeded.
Will enumerate on 0 media types found.
Unable to detect tape drive or tape media.
GetTapeMediaPoolName failed. (0x80070458)
GetBackupDestination failed. (0x80070458)
LaunchNTBackup failed. (0x80070458)
NTBackup finished the backup with errors.

For more information about failed backups, see the article on troubleshooting your backup at the following Web page: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=18414

Backup ended at 04 April 2009 19:30
Backup error finished with error code 0X80070458.

The tape is in the drive. The "Drive" light on the front of the drive is off, "Clean" and "Tape" are on. In Device Manager the device is showing as working fine.

Any ideas?

*EDIT* I've restarted the server and the problem persists.

Prophet · 6 Apr 2009 at 11:04

Hold the eject button down for 15-20 seconds. That should force and eject.

DoubleCheese · 6 Apr 2009 at 11:38

Aha, I was too impatient with the eject button last time. I held it for about 10 sec and nothing happened. Its out now and I've put in the other tape and will try a backuop now.