Tape Drive Test (tapetest)

This test waits for 60 seconds to clear out any bus traffic, then it rewinds the tape, erases the tape, writes a pattern to a specified number of blocks (or, for a SCSI tape, writes to the end of the tape). Next, tapetest rewinds the tape and then reads and compares the information just written. The test expects a device name and number of sectors as input parameters. Next, tapetest writes to the device from a 126x512 byte buffer, then from a 512-byte buffer for any "leftovers." tapetest is not a scalable test.

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Note - If you have a tape drive in your system, load a blank writable tape (scratch tape) before you start the SunVTS exerciser. If you fail to do this, the tapetest option displays drive type:unknown on the option menu for the tapetest.

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tapetest Options

The SunVTS tapetest supports 4mm, 8 mm, 1/4" cartridge, and 1/2" front-load tape drive testing. The options available for each of the tape devices differ slightly. Examples of the option pop-up menus for some devices are shown below.

Figure 30-1 tapetest

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Note - This test may take a while to stop after being disabled.

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The example above shows the options menu for an 8mm tape drive. This menu differs from other tape drive option menus because it has no format or reconnect option choices.

If the drive is a half-inch front-load tape drive, the menu shown in Figure 30-2 will be displayed.

Figure 30-2 tapetest

A quarter-inch tape drive option menu looks like Figure 30-3.

Figure 30-3 tapetest

A 4mm tape drive option menu looks like Figure 30-4.

Figure 30-4 tapetest

Format: QIC-11 and QIC-24 are quarter-inch tape formats that this test uses when it writes to the scratch tape you inserted. QIC-11 uses a 1-byte block ID; QIC-24 uses a 4-byte block ID, so each block on a QIC-24 tape is uniquely identifiable.

Use a standard scratch tape for this test.

QIC-11 format is the default testing format; however, you can choose QIC-24 only, or both of QIC-11 and QIC-24 formats. If you choose both, the test first writes one pass to the tape in QIC-11 format, and then writes a second pass over it in QIC-24 format.

Density The following settings are available for 8mm tape drives:

EXB8200	Writes 2.3 Gbytes of data to the tape.
EXB8500	Increases the density and writes 5 Gbytes of date to the tape.
Both	Writes both 2.3 Gbytes, and 5 Gbytes of data to the tape.

For half-inch tape drives the available settings are 800, 1600, and 6250 BPIs.

Mode If you enable Write/Read mode, the test first writes to the tape and then reads it back to compare. If you enable read_only mode, the test assumes the tape has been properly written and merely reads and compares. This mode is useful to check proper head alignment.

Length The amount of the tape to be tested. The choices are:

EOT	The default; tests to the entire tape.
Long	The SCSI tape tests 70,000 blocks of the tape.
Short	Only the first 1000 blocks are tested.

Specified You must type the number of blocks to be tested in the

# of blocks field.

# of Blocks If you select Specified under the Length option, you must type the number of blocks you want to test.

File Test The tape file test sequence is as follows:

• writes three files
• rewinds
• reads part of the first file

• forward spaces to the start of the second file
• reads the second file
• forward spaces to the start of the third file
• tries to read to the end of that file
• for SCSI tapes only, the tape file test tries to backspace to the start of the second file and read it.

Retension When enable is selected, the program retensions the tape.

# of passes If you have enabled the head cleaning option, you must enter the number of test passes the SunVTS exerciser should execute before suspending testing to provide time to clean the tape drive head.

tapetest Test Modes

The tapetest supports all three modes. It performs different test schemes on the network device, according to the mode you select.

Connectivity Mode In this mode, tapetest verifies that the drive can be opened and that the drive type can be determined. If both checks are successful, or if the drive is currently busy, then the test passes. The tapetest fails if the open operation is unsuccessful for any reason other than the drive is busy.

Online Mode

In this mode, tapetest opens the device and reads several blocks from it. If the read operation is successful, the test has passed. On the other hand, if the device is busy or if no tape cartridge can be found in the drive, the test cannot be run and fails.

Offline Mode

In this mode, tapetest checks the status, rewinds the tape, erases and retensions it. If the device is a cartridge tape, tapetest writes a pattern to nblks or eot(default), rewinds the tape, and then does a read and compare of the pattern.

tapetest Command Line Syntax

/opt/SUNWvts/bin/tapetest standard_arguments -o dev=device_name, s=block_count,d=density,m=mode,l=length,ft=enables/disables,ret=enables/disables, dat=dat_type,8mm=8mm_type num=magazine_size

Argument	Explanation
dev=device_name	Specifies the device_name of the tape drive (required)
s=block_count	Specifies the number of blocks to be tested
d=density	Specifies the density of the tape to open
m=mode	Enables either the write_read or read_only tests
l=length	Specifies the length of the test (EOT, Specified, Long, or Short)
ft=enables/disables	Enables/Disables the file test
ret=enables/disables	Enable/Disables tape retention
dat=dat_type	If you are testing a Digital Audio Tape drive, specify if it's a regular DAT drive or a DAT Stacker. The choices are DAT and DAT_Stacker.
8mm=8mm_type	If you are testing an 8mm tape drive, specify if it's a regular 8mm tape drive or a Tape Library. The command line choices are 8mm and 8mm_Library.
num=magazine_size	If you are testing a DAT Stacker, specify the magazine size.

tapetest Error Messages

6000  Missing device name.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. No device name specified.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test with correct device name specification.

6001  failed ioctl on unload and load next tape: err_code
= <number>!

Probable_Cause(s):

a. This Stacker/Library Unit may lack the Automatic Cycle Option.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Run the test with Single Pass Option Enabled.

6002  Cannot open <device_name>: <error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. No tape media in drive.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Load tape media and retry test.

6005  Cannot close <device_name>: <error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Bad drive.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry test, if problem persists check/replace the drive.

6006  <text> write failed on <device_name>, block <number>:
EOF reached.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. EOF reached prematurely.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, with reduced blocksize specification or until EOF.

6007  <text> write failed on <device_name>, block <number>:
<error_message>, sense key(0x<value>) = <text>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Drive needs attention.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Perform action to reset sense key and retry Test.

6008  <text> read failed on <device_name>, block <number>:
EOF reached.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. EOF reached prematurely.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, with reduced blocksize specification or until EOF.

6009  <text> read failed on <device_name>, block <number>:
<error_message>, sense key(0x<value>) = <text>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Drive needs attention.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Perform action to reset sense key and retry Test.

6010  <text> compare failed on <device_name>, block
<number>, offset <number>, pattern 0x<value>, data=
0x<value>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Bad Drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, if problem persists check/replace the drive.

6011  <device_name> tape MTIOCGETDRIVETYPE ioctl:
<error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Bad Drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, if problem persists check/replace the drive.

6012  <text> failed on <device_name>: <error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Bad Drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, if problem persists check/replace the drive.

6013  Failed Connectivity test on
<device_name>:<error_message>

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Broken Cable. b. Bad Drive.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Check/Replace Cable.

b. Check/Replace Drive.

6014  Failed Online test:<device_name>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Device may be in use.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Later.

6015  Failed Online test:<device_name>:<error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. No tape media in drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Load tape media and retry test.

6016  Online test was unsuccessful:<device_name>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. No tape media in drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Load tape media and retry test.

6017  Failed Online read test:<device_name>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Bad Drive

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Retry Test, if problem persists check/replace the drive.

6018  Open Failed on <device_name>: <error_message>.

Probable_Cause(s):

a. Broken Cable. b. Bad Drive.

Recommended_Action(s):

a. Check/Replace Cable. b. Check/Replace Drive.

6018  recon : No Corresponding SCSI disk device.
6019  Needs both SCSI disk and SCSI tape to run the test.
6020  Couldn't retension '<device_name>'.
6021  Couldn't read file '<device_name>'.
6022  SCSI disconnect/reconnect failed.
6023  Spurious signal received from child.