Specifications

frequently asked questions
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tape drive operation
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cartridge care
cleaning
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frequently asked questions
For further troubleshooting information, refer also to our Customer Support web
site:
http://www.hp.com/support/dat
How often should I clean the
tape drive heads?
It depends on what model tape drive you have
and how many backup cartridges you use per
day. Refer to
Cleaning the Tape Heads for
details. You should also clean the heads if the
Media Caution signal is displayed. Use only HP
cleaning cartridges to clean the heads.
What should I avoid when
positioning the tape drive?
Do not place the drive in a dirty environment,
for example, on the floor, near a busy walkway,
or near a door. Avoid locations subject to
sudden temperature changes, such as near an
outside door or window. For specific
environmental limits, refer to the specifications
for your tape drive model.
How many times can I use a
DDS cartridge?
The recommended maximum number of
passes over any single part of the tape is 2000.
In practical terms, this is equivalent to about
100 backup operations.
What types of tape
cartridges can I use with my
drive?
For optimum performance and storage
capacity, use tape cartridges that match your
drive's format. The HP Surestore DAT 24
works best with DDS-3 (125m) tapes, but it can
also use DDS-2 tapes. The HP Surestore DAT
40 works best with DDS-4 (150m) tapes, but it
can also use DDS-3 and DDS-2 tapes.
However, using older tape formats can reduce
the life expectancy of the device. See
Choosing
Cartridges for more information.
How do I upgrade the
firmware?
You can update the firmware in HP Surestore
DAT tape drives either by downloading over the
SCSI bus or by loading a firmware update tape.
See
Firmware Upgrades.
For how long can I archive
tapes?
Tests have shown that DDS cartridges will
preserve the integrity of stored data for at least
thirty years if proper storage conditions are
observed. See
Storing Cartridges.
How many tapes do I need?
This depends on how much data you back up
and how often you back up. See Backup
Strategies for more information.
Can I use my cartridges with
future HP DDS-format
products?
Hewlett-Packard DDS-format products are
designed to be backward compatible, so they
will be able to read data previously recorded on
earlier DDS formats.
Can I do more than one
backup to a cartridge?
Yes, if your backup software allows it. Consult
the user documentation that came with your
backup software for instructions.
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