Problems with Dell PV132T tape changer

[Kenneth D. Merry]

On Fri, Feb 03, 2006 at 12:27:00 +0100, ?ge R?bekk wrote:
> Kenneth D. Merry wrote:
> >On Thu, Feb 02, 2006 at 15:35:07 +0100, ?ge R?bekk wrote:
> >>This changer has two separate changer devices, /dev/ch0 and /dev/ch1. 
> >>When moving a tape from e.g. slot 0 to drive 0 on /dev/ch0, everything 
> >>works as it is supposed to.  However, trying the same operation on 
> >>/dev/ch1 fails as follows:
> >>
> >># chio -f /dev/ch0 move slot 0 drive 0
> >>chio: /dev/ch0: CHIOMOVE: Input/output error
> >
> >This doesn't quite make sense.  You're trying the above command on ch0, but
> >you said the problem is with ch1...and it looks like the command failed on
> >ch0 as well.
> 
> Oops, a slight mixup.  /dev/ch1 is the erroneous device, /dev/ch0 
> apparently has no problems.  The cutted & pasted error above was due to 
> moving from a slot to an already occupied drive on the wrong device.

Ahh.

> >>dmesg:
> >>
> >>[...]
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): MOVE MEDIUM. CDB: a5 20 0 1 20 6 2 0 0 0 0 0
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): CAM Status: SCSI Status Error
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): SCSI Status: Check Condition
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): ILLEGAL REQUEST asc:3b,a0
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): Vendor Specific ASCQ
> >>(ch1:ahc0:0:5:1): Unretryable error
> >
> >In this case, ch1 didn't like the move medium for some reason, but they've
> >given us a vendor specific error.  The other errors in that general
> >vicinity in the spec deal with not being able to do movements requested
> >from a changer.
> 
> Is there any easy way to obtain the documentation that states what these 
> ASCQ codes are?  This might be as easy as a stuck picker or perhaps 
> faulty firmware.

Well, you'll have to either get the documentation from Dell or whoever they
OEMed the changer from.

Another thing you might try is 'chio ielem'.  Some changers need that to
know what their inventory is.  Some changers scan their inventory on boot,
but may go back and look at it again in response to an initialize element
status command.  (i.e. 'chio ielem')

Anyway, you may be able to get the picker to move around a bit that way.

Another thing to try would be to try the same move via the front panel on
the changer, if you have one.  Some changers have a front panel that lets
you move tapes around.

> >># chio -f /dev/ch1 status
> >>picker 0:
> >>slot 0: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 1: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 2: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 3: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 4: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 5: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 6: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 7: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 8: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 9: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 10: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 11: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 12: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>slot 13: <ACCESS,FULL>
> >>portal 0: <INEAB,EXENAB,ACCESS,IMPEXP>
> >>drive 0: <ACCESS>
> >
> >From the specs, it looks like this changer is supposed to have up to 24 
> >slots
> >when used with LTO drives.  How many slots does your unit have?  How many
> >slots are there on ch0?
> 
> ch0 has 8 slots:
> 
> # chio -f /dev/ch0 status
> picker 0:
> slot 0: <ACCESS>
> slot 1: <ACCESS,FULL>
> slot 2: <ACCESS,FULL>
> slot 3: <ACCESS>
> slot 4: <ACCESS,FULL>
> slot 5: <ACCESS>
> slot 6: <ACCESS>
> slot 7: <ACCESS,FULL>
> portal 0: <INEAB,EXENAB,ACCESS,IMPEXP>
> drive 0: <FULL>
> 
> 
> >Are all slots available from both changer devices?
> 
> No, for some reason they chose to separate the device into two different 
> pickers and drives.  8 of the cartridges are in the back of the unit 
> (ch0), the rest is mounted in front (ch1).

Interesting.  I take it you can move tapes back and forth between the two
parts via the portals?

Ken
-- 
Kenneth Merry
ken at FreeBSD.ORG