[Info-vax] HP Surestore DAT24 firmware download?

[smithfarm]

> You could be more confident if you also had another known good drive
> on which to check the tape had been properly written. But afaik DAT
> drives do not do their own "read after write" so it *may* be erroneous
> to conclude that the data is written OK when you've not checked it
> elsewhere.

Agreed.

> Do you have (or can you get) any tapes with known good data which you
> can attempt to read on the drive under test? That would give you more
> information on whether the drive could read a tape or not.

I don't have any known-good tapes at this time. Conceivably I could make 
one using the TLZ07L.

I don't think it's a termination problem, since the cable I'm using 
(internal HD68) has a terminator crimped on the end. The terminator says 
"FOXCONN NEGATION TERMINATOR". I have the drive set to provide "term 
power".

One time it actually did read back a file without any errors. That was 
on Linux with a modern LSI PCI-e controller.

I just tried it on the rx2600 (OpenVMS v8.4) and I got the following 
errors on the verification pass:

$ dir hp*.*

Directory DQA0:[FIREFOX_I64020.KIT]

HP-I64VMS-FIREFOX-V0200-18-1.PCSI_SFX_I64EXE;1

Total of 1 file.
$ backup/verify/log hp*.* mkb200:hp.bck/label=dly101
%MOUNT-I-MOUNTED, DLY101 mounted on _NIKKI$MKB200:
%BACKUP-S-COPIED, copied 
DQA0:[FIREFOX_I64020.KIT]HP-I64VMS-FIREFOX-V0200-18-1.P
CSI_SFX_I64EXE;1
%BACKUP-I-STARTVERIFY, starting verification pass at 16-NOV-2010 
18:59:59.33
%BACKUP-E-READERR, error reading MKB200:[]HP.BCK;
-BACKUP-E-BLOCKCRC, software block CRC error
%BACKUP-E-VERIFYERR, verification error for block 151 of 
DQA0:[FIREFOX_I64020.KI
T]HP-I64VMS-FIREFOX-V0200-18-1.PCSI_SFX_I64EXE;1
%BACKUP-F-POSITERR, error positioning MKB200:[]HP.BCK;
-SYSTEM-F-PARITY, parity error
$

As for Michael's suggestions (for which I am grateful):

o Did you check if the drive's dip switches are in the positions
   recommended for your OS (I told you already)?

Yes. The dip switches are in the recommended position.

o Apply a cleaning cartridge twice or thrice.

Yes. (10 times, actually)

o Try different tape media.

So far, I have tried two brand-new DDS3 tapes. These produce a comedy of 
errors. I just tried a DDS2 tape on the rx2600 - same errors.

o Check proper termination at the "outer" end of
   your SCSI bus (no termination stuff at the drive itself
   is necessary)

Got the crimped-on Foxconn negation terminator on the end.

o check if your 50-68 adapter is appropriate,
   iirc when going from "wide" (that's presumably what
   your controller is) to "narrow" (your drive) it must
   terminate the "upper 8 bits".

This is a question mark. But on the Linux box I configured the device as 
8-bit and set termination to Auto. When I did this I was able to run one 
single backup (640 MB) and read it back correctly. But then I ran a 
smaller backup and it failed and after that all attempts were fails.

   You may also consider getting an 68-pin DDS-4 instead.

I am bidding on one now.

o Consider the possibility that your drive is simply broken.
   When I purchase cheap used DDS drives I'm prepared to
   trash about half of them immediately.

I am giving this thought serious consideration. I got this drive for 
cheap. The guy who sold it to me said it just sat in a server, unused, 
for 2 or 3 years. It may be very dusty inside. Maybe I just need to keep 
trying and run the head-cleaner tape multiple times and it will clear up?

o Contact your HP representative for a copy of their brochure:
   "Success with DDS Media", HP Part No. C1500-90911 June 1993

As soon as HP designates a representative for hobbyists, I will do that.

Thanks, as always.

Nathan