Loading A Data Cartridge; Unloading A Data Cartridge; Using A Cleaning Cartridge - IBM VXA-320 User Manual

Loading a data cartridge

The tape drive uses data-quality VXA tape data cartridges, in various lengths.
These cartridges do not require formatting or other media conditioning before use.
See "Data capacities" on page B-1 for the capacities of the VXA tape cartridges. See
"Storage and shipping environments" on page A-2 for storage guidelines.
Attention: For best results, use only IBM recommended VXA data cartridges. For
a current list of IBM recommended media, go to
http://www.ibm.com/support/us/ and search for "MIGR-39931".
Insert the front of the cartridge through the tape drive door into the loader
mechanism. (The colored write-protect tab on the cartridge must be closest to the
eject button on the drive.) Gently push the cartridge until the loader mechanism
activates the tape-loading process. The drive will then pull the cartridge the
remaining distance into the drive.
The tape drive loads the tape in approximately 40 seconds, during which time the
Activity LED flashes green. When the Activity LED is steady green, the tape drive
is ready to begin write and read operations.

Unloading a data cartridge

To unload a cartridge, press the eject button. The tape drive completes any
command that is in process, writes any buffered information to tape, rewinds to
the beginning of the tape, and ejects the cartridge in approximately 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a cleaning cartridge

Clean the tape drive whenever the Cleaning LED status light is lit or a system I/O
error that is related to the tape drive occurs.
Attention: For best results, use only IBM recommended VXA cleaning cartridges.
For a current list of IBM recommended media, go to
http://www.ibm.com/support/ and search on "MIGR-39931".
To clean the tape drive complete the following steps:
1. Make sure that the tape drive is turned on.
2. If a tape cartridge is in the tape drive, eject and remove the cartridge.
3. Grasp the cleaning cartridge by the outer edges, with the window side up and
Notes:
a. A cleaning cartridge can be used approximately 20 times. When a cleaning
cartridge has been used to its maximum number of uses, the cartridge is
considered expired. The tape drive will detect and automatically eject an
expired cartridge. Never attempt to reuse an expired cleaning cartridge,
because it will reintroduce debris that was removed during a previous
cleaning of the tape drive.
b. The IBM cleaning cartridge has a label on it that has 20 spaces that you can
use to log the use of the cartridge. Each time the cartridge is used, mark
one of the spaces on the label with a pen or marker. When all of the boxes
have been marked, discard the cleaning cartridge.
the write-protect switch facing you.
Chapter 3. Using the tape drive
3-3