If a problem occurs, the first step is to try to establish whether the problem lies with the cartridge, the
drive, the host computer and connections, or the way the system is being operated.

Has the system just been installed?

There could be an installation problem:

Check through the information in the relevant installation chapter of this guide.

Has the system booted? If you have connected to the host SAS controller, check that all hard
disks are correctly seated in the hard disk bay and then check the cabling between the disks and
the SAS controller.

Does an error appear during the boot sequence about a change to the RAID configuration? This
error only appears if you have used an HP split SAS data cable to replace an existing SAS cable.
Check the cabling between the disks and the SAS controller. If the problem persists, you have
probably disconnected a hard disk drive bay that was in use. See
“

Option 3: Connect cable to port on host SAS controller and replace existing SAS cable

” on page

31 for more information.

Has the system booted but the operating system has not seen the tape drive? Check that the drive
has power. On an external drive, the Power LED in the enclosure will be on when power is on.
If it is not, check that the power cable is connected correctly to the tape drive. Check the cabling
between the tape drive and the host controller or dedicated HBA.

Check the environmental conditions against the specified limits.

Are appropriate drivers and application software installed on the host?

Are you using new cartridges or a different brand of cartridge? Have you been using the particular
cartridge for a very long time?

The problem could lie with the cartridge:

Check through “

Use the correct media

” on page 49.

Check that you are using a DDS-labeled cartridge—not a DAT cartridge.

DAT SAS Tape Drives