Microsoft KB Archive/234420

= Backup Cycles Between Cataloging and Mounting the Same Tape =

Article ID: 234420

Article Last Modified on 2/22/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

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This article was previously published under Q234420



SYMPTOMS
When you try to restore data from a tape created with Windows 2000 Backup, Backup may cycle between mounting, cataloging, and dismounting the tape.

This continuous cycling causes excess tape library activity by constantly performing tape mount and dismount operations. Furthermore, you cannot complete a backup catalog operation to perform a restore operation.



CAUSE
This problem occurs because backup imposes no retry limit on mounting or cataloging a tape. This cycle continues indefinitely until you click either Cancel while cataloging the tape or Abort while trying to mount the tape.

This behavior can occur if the on-media label does not match the Removable Storage Manager (RSM) label stored in the RSM local database for the tape that was mounted. For example, this behavior could occur if the media in the tape library gets accidentally switched or placed in the wrong slots. This could occur if you do not use the RSM Eject Media and Inject Media wizards, but instead manually remove and replace media. Under these circumstances, RSM cannot keep track of the media change. When Backup issues a mount command, RSM mounts a different tape than it expected.

This could also occur if you have multiple tapes with the same media label name. RSM will attempt to mount the first piece of media found in it's database with the tape label matching the requested media label name. If the tape GUID in the RSM database does not match the GUID on the mounted tape, you may experience the symptom stated above.



RESOLUTION
Under most circumstances, performing a "full inventory" of the tape library forces RSM to update its database by mounting all media and reading the on-media labels. When the inventory is complete, RSM should mount the correct tape and Backup should be able to successfully catalog and restore from it.

To perform a "full inventory" of a tape library:
 * 1) In RSM, expand the Physical Locations folder.
 * 2) Locate and then click the effected tape library.
 * 3) Right-click the tape library, and then click Properties.
 * 4) Change the inventory method from None or Fast to Full, and then click OK.
 * 5) Right-click the tape library again, and then click Inventory.

At this point, RSM performs a full inventory by issuing an "Identify media" operation for each library slot. These operations appear in the Work queue, and when all the operations are complete, RSM should be able to mount the correct tape the next time.

If after a full inventory the same problem occurs, you need to delete the media that has the mismatched or duplicate label, and then reintroduce the media to have it re-inventoried to record the correct on-media label or to remove duplicate media names in the RSM database.

NOTE: This completely removes the media from the RSM database, including all usage statistics associated with the media. If media usage statistics are critical to your operation, do not delete the tape. Instead, eject the media and move it to another Windows 2000-based computer with the same style tape library. Once inventoried, you should be able to restore from it.

To delete media:
 * 1) Under the tape changers media pool, click the media you want to delete.
 * 2) Right-click the media, and then click Eject. This starts the Eject Media wizard. Once the media is successfully ejected, it appears under the Off-Line Media library.
 * 3) Under the Off-Line Media library, click the media, right-click it, click under All Tasks to de-allocate it, and then click Delete.

You should now be able to inject or insert the tape into the tape drive again. RSM will read the tape's on-media label, add it to the inventory, and then move the media into the Import media pool for Backup to use.

If you have problems ejecting media, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

234579 RSM Eject Command May Not Move Media to Off-Line Media Library



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

Keywords: kbprb KB234420

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