Cleaning The Tape Mechanism - Dell PowerVault LTO User Manual

• If you suspect that the cartridge has been mishandled but it appears useable, copy any data onto a good
cartridge immediately for possible data recovery. Discard the mishandled cartridge.
• Review handling and shipping procedures.
Handle the cartridge carefully
• Do not drop the cartridge. If the cartridge drops, slide the cartridge door back and ensure that the
leader pin is properly seated in the pin-retaining spring clips.
• Do not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can damage the tape's surface or
edges, which may interfere with read or write reliability. Pulling on tape that is outside the cartridge can
damage the tape and the brake mechanism in the cartridge.
• Do not stack more than six cartridges.
• Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tape unusable.

Cleaning the tape mechanism

Dell PowerVault tape drives are developed to have a minimal cleaning requirement. The tape drive
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displays a on the Single-character display (SCD) and the fault LED flashes amber when the drive needs
cleaning. Insert a cleaning cartridge into the tape drive when the
Notice: Use only LTO cleaning cartridges that are labeled "universal." The tape drive is compatible only
with the LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridges. Use of any other type of cleaning cartridge or method
can damage the read/write head in your drive. If you load any other type of cleaning cartridge, the tape
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drive displays a
An LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridge is supplied with each tape drive. Do not use swabs or other
means of cleaning the heads. The cleaning cartridge uses a special tape to clean the tape heads.
Though the number might vary according to the manufacturer, the universal cleaning cartridge is generally
valid for 50 separate cleaning operations. If you try to use the cleaning cartridge beyond 50 separate
cleaning operations, an error code of
one.
To use the LTO Ultrium universal cleaning cartridge:
1. Insert a cleaning cartridge into the tape drive. The tape drive completes the cleaning automatically.
When the cleaning is finished, the drive ejects the cartridge.
2. Remove the cleaning cartridge from the drive.
in the SCD and retains the cartridge until it is ejected manually by pressing Eject.
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displays. Eject the cleaning cartridge and replace it with a new
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Is displayed.
Chapter 3. Using the tape drive 27