Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HPStorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

[Guest steverulison@gmail.com]

Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HPStorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

 

Overview

I'm having an intermittent problem with a file server locking up when

executing the UltraCopy utility (UtraBac software. ver 8.). The copy

utility copies files from a directory on Buffalo Tarastation which

contains UltraBac backup files from a separate server on the network.

In other words, the files that are being copied to tape are backup

files from a different server on the network. The Procedures I use

for executing the UltraCopy utility are shown below. If the program

crashes, it will always occur at the last step in the process when the

files are actually being copied to the tape and it can happen at

anytime during that process.

 

 

Hardware/Software Environment:

SERVER: EQUUS NOBILIS il33R1 Rackmount 1U SATA

 

OS: Windows 2003 32 bit with Service Pack 2

 

TAPE DRIVE: HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Ext Tape Drive.

DRIVER: hplto.sys, File Version 1.0.5.1

 

DRIVER: SCSI ADAPTER: LSI Logic PCI-X Ultra320 SCSI Host Adapter

SCSI ADAPTER DRIVER sysmmpi.sys, File Version 1.10.05.00

 

BACKUP SOFTWARE: UltraBac Version 8.1

 

 

 

When the Process Fails:

The first sign that the program is crashing is the green light on the

tape-drive stops blinking before the copying process has completed.

After about ten seconds the server does not respond to the mouse and

keyboard. After mumbling several expletives, I reboot the server and

try again. When the utility fails, it usually requires several

attempt of performing all of the steps shown below before the process

finally succeeds.

 

 

Procedures for Executing

UltraCopy Utility

1. Start up the UltraBac Management Console

 

2. Insert the tape in the tape-drive

 

3. Click on the UltraBac Tools menu option

 

4. From the Tools menu click on the Storage Media menu option

 

4.1. From the Storage Media menu, click on the Erase menu option. A

dialog box is displayed with the message "Unexpired UltraBac Media

in drive. Do you wish to ERASE this media and prepare it for

UltraBac?" I click on the Yes button.

 

4.2 From the Storage Media menu click on the Prepare menu option. A

dialog box comes up with a message "Foreign media in tape drive. Do

you want to format it for UltraBac?". I click the Yes button.

 

5. From the Storage Media menu, click on the UltraCopy menu option.

 

5.1 An input dialog wizard is displayed that asks for the source

media, target media and options. Point to the source media drive

letter mapped to the directory on the Buffalo TaraStation that

contains the backup files from the previous night's backup. Click on

the Next button. Point to the target media Tape-Drive. Click on the

Next button. Check the verify copy checkbox. Click on the Next

button. The UltraCopy Progress dialog box is then displayed and a

green light on the tape drive begins blinking.

 

Note: When things are going well the average throughput is around

2500.0 MB per minute. When things aren't going so well, i.e. the

server has locked up requiring a reboot, the throughput is usually

much less.

[Guest Thee Chicago Wolf]

Re: Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

 

Re: Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

 

>I'm having an intermittent problem with a file server locking up when

>executing the UltraCopy utility (UtraBac software. ver 8.). The copy

>utility copies files from a directory on Buffalo Tarastation which

>contains UltraBac backup files from a separate server on the network.

>In other words, the files that are being copied to tape are backup

>files from a different server on the network. The Procedures I use

>for executing the UltraCopy utility are shown below. If the program

>crashes, it will always occur at the last step in the process when the

>files are actually being copied to the tape and it can happen at

>anytime during that process.

>

>

> Hardware/Software Environment:

>SERVER: EQUUS NOBILIS il33R1 Rackmount 1U SATA

>

>OS: Windows 2003 32 bit with Service Pack 2

>

>TAPE DRIVE: HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Ext Tape Drive.

>DRIVER: hplto.sys, File Version 1.0.5.1

>

>DRIVER: SCSI ADAPTER: LSI Logic PCI-X Ultra320 SCSI Host Adapter

>SCSI ADAPTER DRIVER sysmmpi.sys, File Version 1.10.05.00

>

>BACKUP SOFTWARE: UltraBac Version 8.1

>

>

>

> When the Process Fails:

>The first sign that the program is crashing is the green light on the

>tape-drive stops blinking before the copying process has completed.

>After about ten seconds the server does not respond to the mouse and

>keyboard. After mumbling several expletives, I reboot the server and

>try again. When the utility fails, it usually requires several

>attempt of performing all of the steps shown below before the process

>finally succeeds.

>

>

> Procedures for Executing

>UltraCopy Utility

>1. Start up the UltraBac Management Console

>

>2. Insert the tape in the tape-drive

>

>3. Click on the UltraBac Tools menu option

>

>4. From the Tools menu click on the Storage Media menu option

>

>4.1. From the Storage Media menu, click on the Erase menu option. A

>dialog box is displayed with the message "Unexpired UltraBac Media

>in drive. Do you wish to ERASE this media and prepare it for

>UltraBac?" I click on the Yes button.

>

>4.2 From the Storage Media menu click on the Prepare menu option. A

>dialog box comes up with a message "Foreign media in tape drive. Do

>you want to format it for UltraBac?". I click the Yes button.

>

>5. From the Storage Media menu, click on the UltraCopy menu option.

>

>5.1 An input dialog wizard is displayed that asks for the source

>media, target media and options. Point to the source media drive

>letter mapped to the directory on the Buffalo TaraStation that

>contains the backup files from the previous night's backup. Click on

>the Next button. Point to the target media Tape-Drive. Click on the

>Next button. Check the verify copy checkbox. Click on the Next

>button. The UltraCopy Progress dialog box is then displayed and a

>green light on the tape drive begins blinking.

>

>Note: When things are going well the average throughput is around

>2500.0 MB per minute. When things aren't going so well, i.e. the

>server has locked up requiring a reboot, the throughput is usually

>much less.

 

There's a couple of KB articles you might want to check out that are

LTO related that might help out since you've got an LTO drive:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933682

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941140

 

Probably wouldn't hurt to get the fix from KB941140 and see if it

helps any.

 

How about firmware for the 960? Using the G64D revision? Check it out

here:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=443365&prodNameId=443368&swEnvOID=1005&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=co-49231-1

 

- Thee Chicago Wolf

[Guest Thee Chicago Wolf]

Re: Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

 

Re: Windows 2003 Serv locks up when performing UltraCopy to HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960 Tape drive.

 

>DRIVER: SCSI ADAPTER: LSI Logic PCI-X Ultra320 SCSI Host Adapter

>SCSI ADAPTER DRIVER sysmmpi.sys, File Version 1.10.05.00

 

Additionally, what about the current driver and firmware on this

device?

 

I'm seeing the current driver as 1.21.25 (10/9/2006)

Current Firmware 1.00.49 (9/21/2007)

 

This was the only page I was able to find on LSI Logics site for any

HBA Ultra320 SCSI product:

http://www.lsi.com/storage_home/products_home/host_bus_adapters/scsi_hbas/lsiu320/index.html?locale=EN&remote=1

 

- Thee Chicago Wolf