User's Guide

Commands: Request Sense (03h) Page 135
Field Name Bytes Bits Description
Field
Pointer
16-17 If the BPV bit is set, this field points to the most significant byte of
the field in error. Bytes are numbered starting from 0.
When a Log Exception is generated, bytes 16 and 17 indicate the
MSB and LSB of the Log Parameter code that caused the Log
Exception. Byte 15 indicates the affected page that caused the Log
Exception.
For all other errors this field may contain a Vendor-Specific Code
Qualifier
Definition of Sense Keys
The following table shows the definition of the sense keys.
Key Message Definition
00h No Sense The Check Condition occurred in conjunction with detection of FM, EOT, or
ILI, or status was not available.
01h Recovered
Error
The Log Sense counter reached its maximum value and the RLEC bit is set.
02h Not Ready The drive is not ready to accept tape access commands. Operator
intervention may be required to correct this condition, or the drive may be
coming ready.
03h Medium
Error
The command terminated with a non-recoverable error that was probably
caused by a flaw in the medium or an error in the recorded data.
04h Hardware
Error
The drive detected a non-recoverable hardware failure (parity, etc.) while
performing the command. Until the cartridge is ejected or a reset is received,
the drive continues to return this sense key to any tape motion command.
05h Illegal
Request
The CDB or command parameters contained an illegal parameter.
06h Unit
Attention
One of the following actions occurred: the cartridge was changed; the drive
was reset; the operational mode was changed; a Log Exception occurred; or
the firmware was changed.
07h Data Protect The cartridge is write-protected; the operation was not performed.
08h Blank Check A no-data condition was encountered on the tape, or the wrong data format
was encountered on tape.
0Bh Aborted
Command
The drive aborted the command. This key is returned if a bus parity error is
detected. The Initiator may be able to recover by trying the command again.
ODh Volume
Overflow
The drive reached the physical EOT, and write data remains in the buffer.
0Eh Miscompare The source data did not match the tape data during a VERIFY command.
Additional Sense Code and Code Qualifier
Additional sense codes and code qualifiers are returned in the REQUEST SENSE
data in bytes 12 and 13. These byte codes are loaded whenever a Check Condition
is returned for any SCSI CDB. The purpose of the codes is to further define the
cause of an error represented in the REQUEST SENSE Data Sense Key.