How to troubleshoot issues with a Robotic Library (autoloader/changer) and/or Tape Drive(s).

Article: 100016050
Last Published: 2021-10-28
Ratings: 2 0
Product(s): Backup Exec

Problem

Storage devices are not displaying in Backup Exec. Other issues may include tape drives or tape libraries that are offline, storage devices that are not found, recognized, or detected.

Occasionally, hardware which has been officially tested and is supported by Veritas may not be displayed or may appear offline in the Backup Exec interface (i.e., the Device or Storage tab), may not function correctly, or may report specific errors in the job log or Windows Event Viewer log.

Solution

This article guides you through troubleshooting issues with storage devices.

Perform the following procedures in the order listed below:

  1. Download the Veritas QuickAssist Tool
  2. Download the Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility list to:
    • Verify that the device is officially supported
    • Verify that the inquiry string matches the HCL
    • Verify that the connection method that is used to connect the device to the server is supported
  3. Verify rights for the Backup Exec service account
  4. Stop and Disable Removal Storage Service (RSM) - (Windows Server 2003/Windows XP only)
  5. Review the System Event Logs for hardware errors
  6. Perform sequential Power Cycle of Tape library or Tape drive connected directly to Backup Exec server
  7. Verify that the operating system properly detects the device
  8. Ensure that the latest Veritas device drivers are installed for the tape device
  9. Ensure that the latest firmware is installed for the device
  10. Uninstall any third-party applications that control the tape device
  11. If you are troubleshooting a Robotic Library device:
  12. Use the Discover tool to troubleshoot hardware errors or reservation conflicts
  13. Troubleshoot SCSI issues:
  14. Detect and uninstall any orphaned devices
  15. Disable, delete, and re-enable the device in Backup Exec
  16. Final troubleshooting steps before contacting Veritas technical support

 

Download the Veritas QuickAssist Tool

The  Veritas QuickAssist (VQA) Tool helps you with the following troubleshooting steps described in this article:

 

Download the Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) to verify devices, inquiry strings and connection methods

  1. Download the HCL for your product version here:
    Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)
  2. Check the HCL to verify that the device is listed and officially supported by Veritas Backup Exec.
    Some devices that are not listed in the HCL may be recognized and function with Backup Exec. These devices have not been tested and are not officially supported by Backup Exec. 
  3. Check the HCL to ensure that the inquiry string for the device matches the string in the HCL.
    See How to verify the currently installed Veritas drivers will support the robotic library connected to the server for detailed steps.
  4. Check the HCL to ensure that the connection method that is used to connect the device to the server (such as iSCSI, USB, SCSI, Fibre, SAS, IDE, or SATA) is supported.

    Tape drives should not be connected to RAID controllers, unless specifically identified in the following article:
    Support Policy for Host Bus Adapters that feature RAID

    Many devices support multiple connection methods. These devices are listed more than once in the HCL.

    Some connection methods may work for a particular device, but may not be listed in the HCL. If a method is not listed in the HCL, it is not officially supported.

 

Verify admin rights for the Backup Exec service account

You can use the Veritas QuickAssist (VQA) Tool for this procedure.

  1. Verify that the Backup Exec service account has local administrative privileges (eg is in the local administrators group or is a built-in administrator account)
    For Backup Exec 2012 and later: Click the Backup Exec button > Configuration and Settings - Backup Exec Services
    For Backup Exec 2010: On the Backup Exec Tools menu, click Backup Exec Services > Services Credentials
  2. Verify that the rights listed in the   How to setup user rights/permissions for Backup Exec Service Account (BESA)
    article matches what you see in step 1. 

 

Stop and disable Removal Storage Service (RSM) - Windows Server 2003/Windows XP only

You can use the Veritas QuickAssist (VQA) Tool for this procedure.

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools, and then double-click Services.
  2. Click Removal Storage Service, and then Stop and Disable it.
    If a removal storage service error appears, ignore it; it should not occur after subsequent restarting of the server. It is not mandatory to reboot the server.

 

Review the System Event Logs for hardware errors

  1. Right-click My Computer > Manage.
  2. Expand Computer Management > System Tools > Event Viewer, and then click System. (On some Windows versions: Computer Management > System Tools > Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System.)
  3. Look for any hardware errors such as Event ID 5/7/9/11/15.
    See What does Event ID 5/7/9/11/15 mean... for causes and solutions to these error codes.

 

Perform sequential Power Cycle of Tape library or Tape drive connected directly to Backup Exec server

Perform the steps mentioned in following article for sequential Power Cycle of Tape library or Tape drive connected directly to Backup Exec server:

How to perform sequential Power Cycle of Tape library or Tape drive connected directly to Backup Exec server
 

Verify that the operating system properly detects the device

Repeat this process whenever Backup Exec loses the ability to manage external tape hardware.
Veritas recommends plugging the tape hardware into a backup power supply that has surge protection.
Additional power-on steps may be required for tape hardware that is in a Storage Area Network (SAN). For example, you may need to power cycle the SAN switch in order to recognize the tape devices.
 

Ensure that the latest Veritas device drivers are installed for the tape device

Note: Veritas tape device drivers installation is not required if Backup Exec runs on Windows Server 2012 and later.

For optimum performance, use Veritas device drivers for your specific tape drive.

Veritas does not test performance or compatibility with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) drivers, unless noted in the Backup Exec Hardware Compatibility List (HCL) .

  1. If you run LiveUpdate regularly, or if you have the latest Backup Exec Service Pack or Hotfix installed, your Backup Exec installation should have the latest tape device drivers.
    If not, click Backup Exec tape device drivers > Drivers, for a list of tape device drivers available for download.
  2. Use Tapeinst.exe to install the tape device driver. Tapeinst.exe is located on the Veritas Backup Exec installation disc and is copied to the hard disk during installation. The default location is:  \Program Files\veritas\Backup Exec.
  3. Navigate to Device manager to verify that Veritas tape device drives were installed for the tape drive, as follows:
    For Windows 2008: Right-click Computer > Manage, expand Server Manager > Diagnostics, then select Device Manager.
    For Windows 2003: Right-click My Computer > Manager, expand Computer Management, then select Device Manager.
  4. In Device Manager, locate the tape driver, and right-click Properties.
  5. Click the Driver tab, and verify that the driver provider is Veritas.

The Backup Exec 2014 hardware compatibility list does not list any tape devices that require kernel-mode drivers. If older or unsupported tape devices are being used, test the devices before using Windows Server 2012 or later to determine the functionality in case kernel-mode drivers are required.

 

Ensure that the latest firmware is installed for the tape device, robotic library, and Host Bus Adapter (HBA: SCSI, SAS, fibre channel controller, etc.)

Ensure that the latest device drivers are installed for the HBA.
Contact the hardware manufacturer for the latest firmware for the tape drive or robotic library, and for the latest firmware and device drivers for HBA.

 

Uninstall any third-party applications that control the tape device

Backup Exec may not be able to communicate properly with tape devices if another vendor's backup application is installed, even if the services for that application are disabled.
Do not install tape diagnostic tools when Backup Exec Services are running.
Remove the tape diagnostic tools after the diagnostic tests are complete.

  1. Click Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs (or Programs and Features)
  2. Select the third-party backup application or tool, and then click Uninstall.
  3. Repeat for all third-party backup applications or tools.

 

If you are troubleshooting a Robotic Library device

If you are using multiple tape drives within a Robotic Library, you may require a Library Expansion Option (LEO) license.

  • Backup Exec 2010 and later versions include support for a single tape drive in every robotic library and support for multiple stand-alone tape drives.
  • Backup Exec 12.5 and earlier versions include support for single tape drives within the first robotic library and support for multiple standalone tape drives.

See the Library Expansion Option (LEO) article for more information on LEO.

 

Ensure that Microsoft default drivers are installed for a medium changer (Robotic Library devices only)

  1. Navigate to Device Manager as follows:
    For Windows 2008: Right-click Computer > Manage, expand Server Manager > Diagnostics, then select Device Manager.
    For Windows 2003: Right-click My Computer > Manager, expand Computer Management, then select Device Manager.
  2. Expand Medium Changer, and make sure that Unknown Medium Changer is listed.
    Unknown Medium changer means that the default Microsoft drivers are installed.
  3. If OEM drivers are installed, right-click the OEM driver > Properties > Update driver.
    Updating the driver will install the Microsoft driver; Unknown Medium Changer will be displayed.

 

Enable robotic library support (Robotic Library devices only. Also, skip if using Backup Exec 2012 or later)

The Enable Robotic Library Support option enables support for auto loaders, tape libraries, robotic libraries, and library storage systems.

You can use the Veritas QuickAssist (VQA) Tool for this procedure.

  1. In the Backup Exec console, click Tools > Install options and license keys on this media server.
  2. Click Next, until the list of Backup Exec options appear.
    Do one of the following:
    - In the Enable Robotic Library Support option, check to install the robotic library support option
    or
    - Uncheck to uninstall the robotic library support option
     
  3. Continue with the installation.
    Backup Exec media server may require a reboot.

 

Use the Discover tool to troubleshoot hardware errors or reservation conflicts

The Discover tool outputs detailed attributes of backup devices that are attached to the server.

  1. Stop the Backup Exec services.
  2. Navigate to the Backup Exec installation directory. The default location is C:\Program Files\veritas\Backup Exec.
  3. To run the tool and create a text output, at a command prompt, run the following command:
    Discover.exe > C:\discover.txt
  4. See Viewing hardware configuration and detection using Discover.exe for information on how to read the output from Discover.exe.

 

Troubleshooting SCSI issues using tracer.exe
 

Verify that the SCSI changer service is running

You can use the Veritas QuickAssist (VQA) Tool for this procedure.

  1. Click Start, and in the search box, type msinfo32, and then press Enter.
  2. In the System Information dialog, expand Software Environment, and then click System Drivers.
  3. Scroll down and locate the SCSIChanger service, and then verify that the Status=Running.

 

Use tracer.exe to perform a SCSI trace while restarting the Backup Exec services

  1. Stop the Backup Exec services.
  2. Navigate to X:\Program Files\veritas\Backup Exec, and then launch tracer.exe. (X: is the drive where Backup Exec is installed)
  3. While the tracer is capturing the SCSI information, restart the Backup Exec services by using Servicesmgr.exe at X:\Program Files\veritas\Backup Exec.
  4. After the services restart, review the tracer log for any hardware errors or reservation conflicts.
    See Using the SCSI trace utility to troubleshoot Backup Exec hardware errors for more information on reading the tracer logs.

 

Detect and uninstall any orphaned devices

Orphaned devices may be present in Device Manager after you replace hardware, or perform firmware and driver updates.

  1. Open Device Manager via a command prompt, as follows:
    C:\cd WINDOWS
    C:\WINDOWS>cd system32
    C:\WINDOWS\system32>devmgmt.msc
    C:\WINDOWS\system32>

    Device Manager must be opened by a command prompt.
     
  2. In Device Manager, in the View menu, select Show Hidden Devices.
    This selection shows all device drivers, including those that are not currently installed and running on the computer.
  3. Expand the following devices and for items that are not bold, right-click > uninstall:
    - Medium changer
    - Tape drives
    - SCSI cards
    Devices that are not bold designate devices that are not loaded and can be uninstalled.
    Warning: Removing devices and drivers that are still required by the system may result in the system becoming unstable and unable to boot.

 

Disable, delete, and re-enable the device in Backup Exec

  1. In the Backup Exec console, go to Devices/Storage tab.
  2. Right-click the device, and then select Disable. (For Backup Exec 2010 and earlier, select Enable to remove the check mark; when the check box is clear, the device is disabled.)
  3. Right-click the device, and then select Delete.
    A prompt to move the backup jobs to other devices or device pools may appear (For Backup Exec 2012, this appears as Retarget Jobs).
    Note the jobs that are affected and move the jobs back to the original device after resolving the issue with the device.
  4. Stop the Backup Exec services.
  5. Navigate to X:\Program Files\veritas\Backup Exec, and then run Tapeinst.exe. (X: is the drive where Backup Exec is installed)
  6. In the Veritas Device Driver Installed dialog, select the following options:
    - Use Veritas tape drivers for all supported tape devices
    - Delete entries for tape devices that are unavailable, removed, or turned off
    - Use Plug-and-Play drivers for Windows 2000 and later
  7. Restart Backup Exec services.

 

Final troubleshooting steps before contacting Veritas technical support

  • Review the device manufacturer documentation to confirm if the device is working properly.
  • Contact technical support for the device manufacturer.
  • If technical support of the device manufacturer confirms that the device is working properly but you are still having issues, contact Veritas Technical Support .

 

UMI: V-275-1132

UMI: V-275-545

UMI Code: V-379-58052

UMI Code: V-275-1139 The device state has been set to offline because of an I/O device error.

UMI Code: V-79-57344-33317 
Error Code: 0xE0008225
UMI Code: V-269-29
Error Code: e00084ed
UMI Code: V-79-57344-34029
Error Code: 0000045d 
Error Code: 0xe000810b 
UMI Code: V-79-57344-33035 
Error Code: 0xe00084ed
UMI Code: V-79-57344-34032 
UMI Code: V-79-57344-57350
Error Code: 0xa00084f0 
UMI Code: V-79-65535-34032 
UMI Code: V-79-57344-34037 
Error Code: e00084f5 
UMI Code: V-79-57344-34001
Error Code: e00084d1
UMI Code: V-79-57344-33313
UMI Code: V-275-547
UMI Code: V-370-59792-00030
UMI Code: V-79-57344-33319

V-379-65314 - Event ID: 65314 -  Job 'Backup 00001-Full' has reported Multiple Tape Alerts on Server 'WIN-Server'.
Event ID: 5, 7, 9, 11, 15

UMI Code: V-275-1017
Backup Exec was unable to initialize and communicate with the device \\.MediumChangerX or \\TapeDriveY [HW XXXXXX] (Access is denied).
 

 

References

Etrack : 11 Etrack : 0xa00084f0 Etrack : 15 Etrack : 0xE0008225 Etrack : 0xe00084ed UMI : V-79-57344-34032 UMI : V-79-57344-57350 JIRA : e00084ed UMI : V-79-57344-34037 UMI : V-79-57344-33035 UMI : V-79-57344-34001 JIRA : e00084 JIRA : 0000045d UMI : V-79-57344-34029 Etrack : 5 UMI : V-79-65535-34032 Etrack : 7 Etrack : 9 UMI : V-79-57344-33317 Etrack : 0xe000810b UMI : v-269-29 JIRA : e00084f5

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