# LTO-3 tape drive, FreeBSD 7 Problems



## jaucremann (Oct 29, 2009)

We have a PowerEdge 2900. It has two tape drives an older 36gig internal (/dev/sa0), and a new 400gig LTO-3 external(/dev/sa1). I mean new as in about 2 weeks old.  We're running FreeBSD 7. We're doing nightly backups using TAR. Nothing fancy.

The old tape is working fine, we just out grew it. The new one worked fine for about a week. I stated to notice in my backup report that there was a write error. I found the following in the logs:

```
kernel log messages:
+++ /tmp/security.nsLGGS7y	2009-10-29 03:02:46.000000000 -0400
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): WRITE FILEMARKS. CDB: 10 0 0 0 2 0 
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): CAM Status: SCSI Status Error
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): SCSI Status: Check Condition
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): DATA PROTECT asc:30,c
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): Reserved ASC/ASCQ pair field replaceable unit: 30
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): Unretryable error
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): failed to write terminating filemark(s)
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): WRITE FILEMARKS. CDB: 10 0 0 0 2 0 
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): CAM Status: SCSI Status Error
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): SCSI Status: Check Condition
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): DATA PROTECT asc:30,c
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): Reserved ASC/ASCQ pair field replaceable unit: 30
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): Unretryable error
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): failed to write terminating filemark(s)
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
+(sa1:ahd0:0:8:0): tape is now frozen- use an OFFLINE, REWIND or MTEOM command to clear this state.
```
I've googled and searched and haven't found a solution. I've tried every combination of rewind and offline I can think of. 

Another thing to not I don't THINK it's a hardware problem because I've gotten the errors for about two days now. When we put the tape in this morning I was able to write to it. But once I had rewound it I was not able to over write it. The tapes are not write protected either.

Any help would be great. Thanks.


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## jaucremann (Nov 3, 2009)

So I figured out if I skip to the end of the data I can write. But if I try to overwrite anything I get an error. Has anyone seen this ever? I'm pretty much out of ideas.


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## expl (Nov 3, 2009)

What cartridge are you using for your LTO-3?


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## jaucremann (Nov 3, 2009)

On the tape:
Ultrium LTO 3
400 GB native / 800 GB compressed
WORM

From the case
JP-0RC922-74660-96U-N03N-A01
DP/N ORC922

That's about all I know. It's the tapes Dell bundled with the drive.


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## cowbert (Nov 4, 2009)

That is because the tape you are using is a WORM tape (Write once read many). The tape's chip and servo markers label it as WORM to the drive, which will cause it to stall if you are trying to overwrite the tape. LTO-3 is the first LTO level that supports WORMs (and the new feature with LTO-4 is encryption/antitamper).


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## jaucremann (Nov 4, 2009)

So they sent me the wrong tapes then? Wow first they sent us LTO-4 tape now this. This is all new to me. Thank you very much for the help.


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