Cleaning Tape Drives; Handling And Storing Cartridge Tapes - HP NonStop NS-series Operation Manual

Preventive Maintenance

Cleaning Tape Drives

Clean tape drive heads and sensors frequently. For detailed information on cleaning
tape drives, refer to the documentation shipped with your tape drive. How often you
clean a tape drive or the tape path depends on use, operating environment, and tape
quality. Cleaning supplies are available from HP. Use these materials:
Cleaning solvent: HP supports the use of only isopropyl alcohol (91 percent or
greater) as a tape-path cleaning solvent. Isopropyl alcohol cuts oil and grease,
evaporates quickly, leaves no residue, and does not damage the tape path.
Nonabrasive, lint-free cloths and swabs.
A cleaning cartridge, which provides a safe, convenient way to clean some types of
tape drives.
For ordering information, see the operator's guide shipped with the tape subsystem.
Caution. These precautions are extremely important to prevent damage:
Do not use cleaner solutions that contain lubricants. Lubricants deposit a film on the
tape head and impair performance.
Do not use aerosol cleaners, even if they contain isopropyl alcohol. The spray is
difficult to control and often contains metallic particles that damage the tape head.
Do not use soap and water on a tape path. Soap leaves a thick film, and water can
damage electronic parts.
Do not use facial tissues. Facial tissues leave highly abrasive lint on the tape path.
Do not dip your cloths and swabs into the solvent can. These items contaminate the
solvent.
Discard the cloths and swabs after use. Even if they appear clean, cloths and swabs
are contaminated by use. Dispose of these materials in an approved container.

Handling and Storing Cartridge Tapes

Cartridge tapes are nested in a cartridge by a spring-loaded mechanism that exposes
the tape only when the cartridge tape is loaded into the tape drive. The drive
mechanism uses a leader block to wind the tape through the tape path to load data.
Exposing the tape or handling the cartridge tapes improperly can result in loss of data.
When handling and storing cartridge tapes:
Protect cartridge tapes from shock or vibration.
Do not expose cartridge tapes to high temperatures by leaving them in a car or in
direct sunlight.
Do not store cartridge tapes near magnetic fields such as those generated by
power cables or computer monitors.
HP Integrity NonStop NS-Series Operations Guide —529869-005
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Cleaning Tape Drives