HP 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive EK-STWCT-UG.... User manual

8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
User’s Guide
Order Number: EK-STWCT-UG. E01

Fifth Edition,December 1994
The information in this document is subject to change without notice and should not be construed as a
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The disclosure of this information does not grant to the user a license under any patents, pending patents,
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FCC Notice: This equipment generates, uses, and may emit radio frequency energy. The equipment has
been type tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A computing device pursuant to Subpart
J of Part 15 of FCC Rules, which are designed to provide reasonable protection against such radio
frequency interference when operated in a commercial environment. Any changes or modifications made
to this equipment may void the user's authority to operate the equipment. Operation of this equipment in
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Copyright © Digital Equipment Corporation 1994
All Rights Reserved
Printed in U. S. A
The following are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation:
StorageWorks, and the Digital Logo.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01 iii
Contents
Revision Record .......................................................................................................... v
About This Guide .....................................................................................................vii
1 Introduction
1.1 Product Overview ...............................................................................................1–1
1.2 StorageWorks Packaging Options for the Cartridge Tape Drive...........................1–1
1.3 Support for Four Data Formats............................................................................1–4
1.4 Support for Partitioned Tapes..............................................................................1–5
1.5 Enhanced Performance........................................................................................1–5
1.6 Intelligent Data Compression..............................................................................1–5
1.7 Sophisticated Error Correction Procedures ..........................................................1–5
1.8 Additional Features.............................................................................................1–5
2 Installation and Initial Power On
2.1 Unpacking the StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive...........................2–1
2.2 Installation Documents........................................................................................2–1
2.3 Performing the Initial Power On..........................................................................2–2
3 Operating the Cartridge Tape Drive
3.1 Location of Controls and Indicators.....................................................................3–1
3.1.1 Unload Button ..............................................................................................3–2
3.1.2 LEDs............................................................................................................3–2
3.2 Recommended Data Cartridge.............................................................................3–3
3.3 Setting the Write-Protect Switch.........................................................................3–3
3.4 Loading a Data Cartridge ....................................................................................3–4
3.5 Load Time ..........................................................................................................3–5
3.6 Unload Cartridge Procedure................................................................................3–5
3.7 Error During Unload Procedure...........................................................................3–5
4 Cleaning the Cartridge Tape Drive
4.1 Determining When the Tape Drive Needs Cleaning.............................................4–1
4.2 Using the 8mm Cleaning Cartridge.....................................................................4–2
4.3 Exercising the Cartridge Tape Drive....................................................................4–3

StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
iv Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01
Appendix A Product Specifications
Appendix B Product Notes for Novell™and MS-DOS™
Appendix C Product Notes for Sun™
Appendix D Product Notes for IBM™ RS/6000
Appendix E Product Notes for Hewlett-Packard
Reader Comment Form ........................................................................... Inside Back Cover
Figures
1–1 StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive..................................................1–1
1–2 Option SWXTE-AA: One Tape Drive in a Device Carrier..................................1–2
1–3 Option SWXTE-AB: Two Tape Drives in a Device Carrier ................................1–3
1–4 Option SWXTE-AC: For Installation in Desktop Expansion Unit.......................1–3
3–1 Front Panel Controls and Indicators....................................................................3–1
3–2 Front Panel LEDs...............................................................................................3–2
3–3 Write-Protect Switch on 8mm Data Cartridge.....................................................3–4
4–1 Cleaning the Cartridge Tape Drive......................................................................4–3
Tables
1–1 Read/Write Compatibility of 8mm Tape Drives and Data Formats......................1–4
1-2 Read/Write Compatibility Comparisons..............................................................1–3
3–1 States Indicated by LEDs....................................................................................3–3

Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01 v
Revision Record
This Revision Record provides a concise publication history of this guide. It lists the manual revision levels,
release dates, and reasons for the revisions. It also describes how the changes to affected pages are
marked in the guide.
The following revision history lists all revisions of this publication and their effective dates. The
publication part number is included in the Revision Level column, with the last entry denoting the
latest revision.
Revision Level Date Summary of Changes
EK-STWCT-UG. A01 December 1993 Original release
EK-STWCT-UG. B01 March 1994 Cleaning cartridge and
Appendix B added
EK-STWCT-UG. C01 August 1994 Appendix C added
EK-STWCT-UG. D01 October 1994 Appendix D added
EK-STWCT-UG. E01 December 1994 Appendix E added

Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01 vii
About This Guide
This section identifies the users of this guide and describes the contents and structure. In addition, it
includes a list of conventions used in this guide.
StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive User's Guide
This guide provides operational and maintenance information for the StorageWorks 8505
8mm Cartridge Tape Drive.
Intended Audience
This guide is intended for any user who is responsible for operating or maintaining the
cartridge tape drive.
Document Structure
This guide contains the following chapters:
Chapter 1: Introduction
Introduction gives an overview of the StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
and describes the three packaging options for the drive: SWXTE-AA, SWXTE-AB, and
SWXTE-AC. It also describes the formats the drive can read and write.
Chapter 2: Installation and Initial Power On
Installation and Initial Power On refers you to the appropriate installation information
and provides information about the initial power on of the cartridge tape drive.
Chapter 3 Operating the Cartridge Tape Drive
Operating the Cartridge Tape Drive describes how to use the drive’s controls and
indicators; it also describes how to load and unload tapes.
Chapter 4 Cleaning the Cartridge Tape Drive
Cleaning the Cartridge Tape Drive describes how to clean the drive.
Appendix A: Product Specifications
Product Specifications provides physical and operating specifications.

StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
viii Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01
Appendix B: Product Notes for Novell™and MS-DOS™
Product Notes for Novell and MS-DOS provides information for the system
administrator. It must be read before installing and using the cartridge tape drive SBB
with a host system operating with the Novell and MS-DOS, or MS-DOS/WINDOWS
operating systems.
Appendix C: Product Notes for Sun™
Product Notes for Sun provides information for the system administrator. It must be read
before installing and using the cartridge tape drive SBB with a host system operating
with the Sun and Solaris operating systems.
Appendix D: Product Notes for IBM™RS/6000
Product Notes for IBM provides information for the system administrator. It must be
read before installing and using the cartridge tape drive SBB with a host system
operating with the AIX 3.2.5 (or later) operating system.
Appendix E: Product Notes for HP™9000 Series 800
Product Notes for HP provides information for the system administrator. It must be read
before installing and using the cartridge tape drive SBB with a host system operating
with the HP-UX 9.04 (or later) operating system.
Conventions
This guide uses the following conventions:
Documentation Conventions
Style Meaning
boldface type For emphasis
italic type For emphasis and manual titles
Ordering Data and Cleaning Cartridges
You can order data and cleaning cartridges from the following sources:
• The 8mm data cartridge, Digital part number TKZ8x, is recommended for use with
the StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive. You can order the data cartridge
from authorized Digital VARs and distributors, or by calling DECdirect at 800-
DIGITAL or 800-344-4825. In Canada, you can call DECdirect at 613-592-5111.
• Approved cleaning cartridges can be ordered from EXABYTE. These cleaning
cartridges are the only cleaning device or material recommended for use with the
StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive. Both cleaning cartridges and data
cartridges can be ordered from EXABYTE Corporation at 1685 38th Street, Boulder,
Colorado, 80301. EXABYTE Direct Marketing is at 800-392-8273. The
EXABYTE part numbers are:
Data cartridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180093

About This Manual
Order Number: xxx-xxx-xxx iii
Cleaning cartridge, 3 cleaning passes . . . . . 727113
Cleaning cartridge, 12 cleaning passes . . . . 727386

Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01 1–1
1
Introduction
This chapter provides a product overview of the StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive, outlines
its features, and describes the formats it can read and write.
1.1 Product Overview
The StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive (Figure 1–1) is an enhanced 8mm
digital helical-scan cartridge tape drive, which is packaged in an industry standard
5.25-inch half-height form factor. The half-height size allows for ease of integration
across a multitude of platforms.
Figure 1-1 StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
1.2 StorageWorks Packaging Options for the Cartridge Tape Drive
The. StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive is available as three packaging
options as follows:
• SWXTE-AA (Figure 1–1)
• SWXTE-AB (Figure 1–2)
• SWXTE-AC (Figure1–3)
Figures 1–1, 1–3, and 1–4 show the packaging options. (Chapter 2 provides information
about installing and configuring the options.)

StorageWorks 8505 8mm Cartridge Tape Drive
1–2 Order Number: EK–STWCT–UG. E01
Option SWXTE-AA is a configuration in which one or two 8mm tape drives is installed
in a device carrier, and the device is subsequently placed in a StorageWorks drive
expansion unit. Figure 1–2 shows one tape drive installed in a device carrier.
Figure 1–2 Option SWXTE-AA: One Tape Drive in a Device Carrier
NOTE
The expression StorageWorks Building Block, or SBB , is used
in StorageWorks documentation to refer to a device, such as
tape or disk drive, that is installed in a device carrier.
Option SWXTE-AB is a configuration in which a second 8mm tape drive is installed in a
device carrier. Note that the device carrier is shipped to you with both drives already
installed if options SWXTE-AA and SWXTE-AB are ordered at the same time. If option
SWXTE-AB is ordered after you already have option SWXTE-AA, the second drive is
installed in the top half of the device carrier as shown in Figure 1–3.