I recently inherited a used IBM Ultrium-TD8 (FH FC) stand-alone tape drive and would like to use it on a Windows 11 workstation. The drive is fibre channel and is directly connected to the workstation. I can see the tape device in Device Manager but the driver is unable to start. Is there a particular driver I should be using for this drive? The tape drive has firmware Q3A0 (most current, I believe) and the drive was manufactured in late 2022.

Although the drive itself has an IBM label on it, I believe these were manufactured by Overland-Tandberg. Should I look to them for drivers and updates?

Thank you for any help.

Dear Alasdair Turnbull
The IBM Standalone Drives (TS2280) are build with SAS Interface for years. You have a drive with FC connection, so it will be from a Library.
If You Google with the subject Windows LTO Drivers you will get some links to Microsoft. My 4th hit was a PDF from Tandberg, also showing a link to a Microsoft article rfering to LTO8 with Win10. Maybe the mentioned driver will also work with Win11.
As an alternative : use a backupsoftware, that will bring drivers with the package.
Also have a look for drivers for Windows Server 2019 or 2022.

kind regards Martin

As Martin stated, it's going to be up to the software maker to tell you what you should have installed before you use their software. Some use the default Microsoft driver, some use the IBM driver from FixCentral, and others use their own that comes bundled with their software.

In the worst case, in Windows Device Manager, you should see either an "Unknown Device" or an "IBM ULTRIUM.." device. If you don't, you have a connection issue or need the driver for your FC HBA, which should also be under Device Manager, under Storage Controllers.  

A good test is either to utilize your HBA's software suite or, if possible, use the BIOS access of the card during the systems POST to ensure you have a solid hardware handshake with the tape drive and that the two are communicating at a hardware level.  If the hardware isn't talking to one another at a physical level, you won't go any farther.