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LTO-5 and TS3200

  • 1.  LTO-5 and TS3200

    Posted Sun January 09, 2022 03:35 PM

    Hi All

    I got old TS3200 library with LTO-4 drive, all works ok, decided to upgrade my lib to LTFS, and got LTO-5 FH FC drive from ebay. (Spectra  module with FC FH IBM Drive). Part number of drive is the same as mentioned in TS3200 requirements. Firmware in Lib and Drive updated to required/latest (F01 and H976 respectively). Drivers are latest (3.0.59). OS is Centos 7.6 . FC HBA is QLogic ISP2432-based 4Gb Fibre Channel.

    When i trying to use LTO5 drive as single/standalone - all is near ok (excluding that speed in itdt system test is 67Mbytes/sec at any block size and compression)

    . LTFS-SDE mounts/writes/reads/unmounts  ok (speed is quite low - approx 60mb/s direct optic FC 4Gb patchcord) but  well, it works.

    But when i set that drive to sled and insert to TS3200 - it gives error "Bad Tape in Drive" and set drive's mechanic as like tape cartridge in drive(carriage goes into drive, tape mechanic goes to thread tape to casette etc,), but really it empty. Drive stays in error. Small sled connector (rs422 control?? ) connected to same connector as LTO4 drive.

    so have 2 problems (in order of importance)

    1. How to make my LTO5 drive works in TS3200? Is it any difference in drives in Spectra and TS3200 ? is it any jumpers/switches/special configs could be done? Is it any info / place where to find info about that small connectors/protocols  at back side of LTO drive?

    2. Why speed so low and seems has clear limit (67 mb/s)? and how to try to fix that? 

    Is it could be fixed instead "get new library with new drive" (it is for home/personal usage).


    Thanks in advance

    Vladimir

    Ukraine



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