VXATool for Linux V4.62 INSTALLATION, REQUIREMENTS AND TROUBLESHOOTING --------------------------------------------------------- VXATool for Linux is a diagnostic program used for testing, configuring, and upgrading firmware in the Exabyte VXA tape drives. SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: ------------------------------ VXATool for Linux requires the Linux kernel v2.4.2 or higher. Any other platform may yield unexpected results including core dumps and/or system hangs. INSTALLING VXA TOOL FOR LINUX: ------------------------------ 1. Download VXATool for Linux to your system in the directory of your choice. 2. Change to that directory and extract the zip file with the following command: tar -zxvf vxaTool_Linux_V4.62.tar.gz This will unzip the VXATool file into a subdirectory called Linux. 3. VXATool for Linux is now ready to be executed. PRIOR TO RUNNING VXATOOL: ------------------------------ Before running any vxaTool functions, completely shut down your backup application and any services it may be running. The backup application may prevent communications with the tape drive or may interrupt vxaTool functions resulting in their failure. VXATOOL FUNCTIONS: ------------------------------ By executing vxaTool without any parameters or command line options, the tool will display all possible options. ./vxaTool Usage: vxaTool [-deimtCFIP] -d Retrieve diagnostics dump to -e [1/2] (optional) Erase tape (set VXA-1 or 2 format, on VXA-2 only) -i Identify the device. -m (used in conjuction with '-t') Write and read Megabytes (100-9999) -t [W/R/F] (optional) Test write/read functionality of the device. Optional [R]ead-only, [W]rite-only and [F]ull-tape flags *** WARNING *** Any data on tape will be overwritten! Use a SCRATCH tape when testing the tape drive. -u Unload tape (also in combination with -t) -C [1/0] Enable (1) or Disable (0) hardware compression. NOTE: Compression state returns to default after a reset or power cycle -F Flash Firmware from file to the device NOTE: Do NOT interrupt a firmware update in progress! Your device may become inoperable if you ignore this warning. -S Scan the system for available devices -I [0-10] Change the device Inquiry to mimic a different vendor. Use '-I 0' to return to factory default. Available inquiry settings are: 1 - ECRIX VXA-1 2 - ECRIX VXA-1a 3 - EXABYTE VXA-2 4 - EXABYTE VXA-3 5 - EXABYTE EXB-8505 6 - EXABYTE EXB-8900 7 - EXABYTE Mammoth2 8 - SONY SDX-300C 9 - HP C1537A 10 - Quantum DLT4000 11 - Quantum DLT7000 <<< WARNING! '-P' options should only be used when instructed by >>> <<< Exabyte Technical Support >>> -P [S/C] Prefer (S)peed or (C)apacity optimisation. -P [B/Q] Prefer (B)usy or (Q)ueue status while loading a tape. -P I[012] Show (I) or set (Ix) response after receiving an immediate SCSI command Where x means: 0 = Return Busy, 1 = return Check Condition, 2 = Queue -P L[01] Show (L) or set (Lx) Write Density lock on VXA-172 and VXA-320 Where x means: 0 = Unlocked, 1 = Locked in VXA-3 format Example : vxaTool /dev/st0 -t -m 100 NOTE: Please use 'vxaTool -S' to list available devices on this computer SCANNING THE SYSTEM FOR VXA TAPE DRIVES: --------------------------------------- Follow these instructions to display the VXA drives detected by the system. 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Execute the following command: ./vxatool -S 3. Information similar to the following will be displayed in the Terminal window: Scanning your system for tape devices...OK Device | Address ------------------------+----------------- EXABYTE VXA-2 | /dev/sg0 EXABYTE VXA-3 | /dev/sg1 GETTING BASIC DRIVE INFORMATION: -------------------------------- Follow these instructions to check the VXA drive's current firmware level, serial number, and inquiry string. 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Execute the following command: ./vxatool /dev/sg0 -i Note: If there are multiple VXA drives attached to your system, you will need to use different device names to communicate with the different tape drives. For example, /dev/sg0, /dev/sg1, etc. 3. Information similar to the following will be displayed: Tape Drive identified as VXA2 /dev/sg0 - Vendor : EXABYTE /dev/sg0 - Product ID: VXA-2 /dev/sg0 - Firmware : 1009 /dev/sg0 - Serialnum : 0085106081 /dev/sg0 - Cleaning : 35 Tape Motion minutes ago UPGRADING FIRMWARE: ------------------------------ Follow these instructions to upgrade firmware using VXATool for Linux: 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Download firmware to the same directory as VXATool for Linux. Extract the firmware with the following command: unzip vfirmware.zip -x vfirmware.zip represents the version of firmware that is to be installed. This will create a vfirmware.tfw file. 3. Execute the following command: ./vxaTool /dev/sg0 -F vfirmware.tfw *** Note *** A firmware upgrade should only be performed when no users are on the server. Depending on system configuration, this operation has the potential of hanging the server. Do NOT interrupt a firmware update in progress. Your device may become inoperable. 4. If the firmware upgrade was successful, a message similar to the following will appear: /dev/sg0 - Uploading firmware.........................................OK Done OBTAINING A DIAGNOSTIC LOG: ------------------------------ If problems are experienced with the VXA tape drive, Exabyte Technical Support may ask for a log in order to better troubleshoot the problem. If instructed to do so by Exabyte Technical Support, follow the steps below to obtain a log file from the VXA drive. 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Execute the following command: ./vxatool /dev/sg0 -d logfile.bin Note: Any file name with the .bin extension may be used. To obtain the most accurate information, be sure to execute this command prior to doing anything else with the drive. Don't eject the tape, reboot, etc. 3. If the log completes correctly, a message similar to the following appears: 0 Diagnostics Dump [DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD] 100 % Done 4. Email the log to Exabyte Technical Support for analysis (you can also find instructions at Exabyte.com for uploading your log to Exabyte Technical Support). RUNNING A WRITE/READ TEST: ------------------------------ The VXATool for Linux can perform a diagnostic write/read test on the VXA tape drive. At the end of the test a message is displayed reporting whether or not the drive is running satisfactorily. Note: THIS TEST WILL OVERWRITE YOUR TAPE. USE ONLY A SCRATCH TAPE FOR THIS TEST. 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Execute the following command: ./vxatool /dev/sg0 -t 3. If the test completes satisfactorily, a message similar to the following appears: /dev/sg0 - Drive functions properly. Done 4. If the test indicates that the VXA tape drive is not running satisfactorily, immediately obtain a drive log as described above. ERASING A TAPE: ------------------------------ The vxaTool can erase a tape by reformatting it. The reformat operation completes within 1-2 minutes. Note! THIS WILL DESTROY THE DATA ON YOUR TAPE. After erasing a tape, you will not be able to access data which was previously written on it. 1. Install VXATool for Linux as per instructions above. 2. Execute the following command: ./vxatool /dev/sg0 -e Note: A VXA-2 drive can reformat a tape in either VXA-1 or VXA-2 formats. To specify that a tape should be erased in VXA-1 format, use the following command: ./vxatool /dev/sg0 -e 1 VERIFYING YOUR HARDWARE INSTALLATION: ------------------------------------- VXATool can be used to help verify that your hardware installation is working properly. VXATool can demonstrate: 1. that your system can communicate over the SCSI, FireWire or ATAPI interface with the drive. 2. that your tape drive is functioning properly. To verify your hardware installation, follow these steps: 1. Load a tape with no important data on it into your tape drive. IMPORTANT: This tape will be overwritten. Any data written to it previously will be lost. 2. Use VXATool to scan the system for your VXA drive. ./vxaTool -S 3. Scan Results: * If your VXA drive IS listed by scan: Continue with the steps below. * If your VXA drive IS NOT listed by scan: Make sure that your backup application and its services have been stopped. Check that your cables are in good condition and securely connected. Make sure the SCSI bus is terminated. Refer to the VXA drive's Product Manual for detailed installation instructions. 4. Run a VXATool Write/Read test. Interface problems can be intermittent. Therefore if your system is experiencing interface problems, running for a longer test period is more likely to expose them. * Minimum recommended test (approximately 30 minutes) ./vxaTool /dev/sg0 -t -m 2000 * Full tape test (approximately 8 hours) ./vxaTool /dev/sg0 -t F 5. Test results: * If the test completes successfully: ¤ Your hardware installation is working properly. Data has been transferred successfully across the SCSI, FireWire or ATAPI interface. ¤ Your VXA tape drive is writing and reading data without any problems. * If the test reports that your tape drive is writing or reading with difficulty: ¤ Your hardware installation is working properly. Data has been transferred successfully across the SCSI, FireWire or ATAPI interface. ¤ Your VXA tape drive has successfully completed all write and read commands during the test. However, it required rewriting or rereading a relatively high number of blocks. Clean the drive, load a new tape, and run the test again. * If the test reports that an error occurred: VXATool will display the error description along with the reported error's Sense Key, ASC and ASCQ values. Refer to the VXA drive's SCSI Manual for a description of the reported error. The SCSI manual can be downloaded from www.exabyte.com. ¤ Media error (Sense Key 3): Clean the drive, load a new tape, and run the test again. ¤ Hardware error (Sense Key 4): Use VXATool to take a diagnostic logfile, and contact Technical Support. ¤ Other errors will most likely be due to a problem with the SCSI, FireWire, or ATAPI interface. Check that your cables are in good condition and securely connected. Make sure the SCSI bus is terminated. Refer to the VXA drive's Product Manual for detailed installation instructions. 6. Before using the test tape with your backup application, use VXATool to erase the tape. ./vxaTool /dev/sg0 -e TROUBLESHOOTING: ------------------------------ If you encounter any difficulty installing or running the VXATool please contact Exabyte Technical Support.