Gateway Computer Drive - Manual (Page 49)

45
Tape drive
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Tape drive
Some of the steps in this section may require you to remove the computer case
cover. Follow “Preventing static electricity discharge” on page 3 when working
inside your computer.
After a period of successful operation, the tape drive appears to fail
during a backup or restore.
■ Make sure that all cables are securely connected and jumpers are set
appropriately.
■ Turn your computer off, then restart your computer. Re-run the backup
software, making sure that no other programs (such as virus scanners) are
running.
■ Remove the tape cartridge, then reinsert it into the drive.
■ Try a different tape cartridge, preferably one that has never been used
before.
■ Make sure that you are using the correct type of tape cartridge for your
tape drive model.
■ Re-tension the tape, see “Re-tensioning a backup tape.” on page 45.
■ Clean the tape drive, see “Cleaning a tape drive.” on page 46.
Re-tensioning a backup tape.
Tapes must be re-tensioned frequently to ensure data integrity and optimize
drive performance. If you ever have a problem reading a tape, re-tensioning
may solve the problem. The tape drive software has a utility for re-tensioning
tapes. Tape re-tensioning is recommended whenever:
■ A cartridge is being used for the first time
■ A cartridge has not been used for over a month
■ A cartridge has been dropped
■ A cartridge has been shipped from one location to another
■ A cartridge has been exposed to a significant change in temperature
For best performance, cartridges used for daily backups should be re-tensioned
at least once a week.