README: 20GB 8mm Tape Drive Microcode
This package is being provided to allow the update of older IBM 20GB 8mm Tape Drives to the latest level of microcode that is currently shipping from IBM.
Users are encouraged to install the latest microcode level
themselves. The microcode and instructions are available
at the IBM web site:
download.html
All levels of AIX that this product was announced on.
The typical time to install this microcode is .5 hrs.
The microcode becomes active when installed and does not require a
system reboot to become active.
Yes, but the tape drive must be available with no tape in the drive, and no other processing running to the tape drive.
A reboot is not needed as the microcode is active in the drive when the drive completes microcode download. But to have the Vital Product Data show the new level you must use the AIX rmdev and mkdev commands.
In order to complete the microcode download to the tape drive
you will need to use the AIX 5.1 diagnostics and higher, or the
Genucode program.
If the system does not have the AIX 5.1, or later, diagnostics you will
need to get the GENUCODE package from the WEB.
For both the AIX diagnostic package or for Genucode you will
need the microcode and dsdata files in this
package.
This tape drive package will get you to step where
you will need to use the AIX 5.1 and higher Diagnostics or Genucode
to download the microcode into the tape drive.
Do not power off the tape drive during microcode download as this may damage the tape drive microcode requiring the tape drive to be replaced.
Remove any tape cartridge from the drive prior to attempting the microcode download.
All pSeries and RS/6000 machines this product was announce on. In general if the tape drive configures and is available with the VPD showing the Machine Type and microcode level as described in this README the machine is one affected.
The microcode update will bring the IBM 20GB 8mm tape drive
up to the current level which is:
41eA
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59H2813 | 59H2839 | 37hA | A0000001 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 59H2813 | 59H2839 | 37vA | A0000001 | Fixes
incompatible tape format problem on a Write after switching from 5/7GB
MP tape to a blank 20GB AME tape.
|
| 59H2813 | 59H2839 | 38zA | A0000001 | Fixed system hang when read 5GB/7GB MKSYSB tapes in variable block
mode.
|
| 59H2813 | 59H2839 | 39fA | A0000001 | Fixed error reading 2.3GB PTF tapes.
Fixed several problems associated with aborting operation in progress via the Unload button.
|
| 59H2813 | 59H2839 | 41eA | A0000001 | Fixed TAPE_ERR2 with a Fault Symptom Code of E6.
|
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59H4119 | 59H4120 | 37hA | A0000004 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 59H4119 | 59H4120 | 37vA | A0000004 | Fixes
incompatible tape format problem on a Write after switching from 5/7GB
MP tape to a blank 20GB AME tape.
|
| 59H4119 | 59H4120 | 38zA | A0000004 | Fixed system hang when reading 5GB/7GB MKSYSB tapes in variable block
mode.
|
| 59H4119 | 59H4120 | 39fA | A0000004 | Fixed error reading 2.3GB PTF tapes.
Fixed several problems associated with aborting operation in progress via the Unload button.
|
| 59H4119 | 59H4120 | 41eA | A0000004 | Fixed TAPE_ERR2 with a Fault Symptom Code of E6.
|
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59H2809 | 59H2835 | 37hA | A0000002 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 59H2809 | 59H2835 | 37vA | A0000002 | Fixes
incompatible tape format problem on a Write after switching from 5/7GB
MP tape to a blank 20GB AME tape.
|
| 59H2809 | 59H2835 | 38zA | A0000002 | Fixed system hang when reading 5GB/7GB MKSYSB tapes in
variable block mode.
|
| 59H2809 | 59H2835 | 39fA | A0000002 | Fixed read error of 2.3GB of PTF tapes.
Fixed several problems associated with terminating operations in progress via the Unload button.
|
| 59H2809 | 59H2835 | 41eA | A0000002 | Fixed TAPE_ERR2 with a Fault Symptom Code of E6.
|
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59H2816 | 59H2842 | 37hA | A0000003 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 59H2816 | 59H2842 | 37vA | A0000003 | Fixes incompatible tape format problem on a Write after switching from 5/7GB
MP tape to a blank 20GB AME tape.
|
| 59H2816 | 59H2842 | 38zA | A0000003 | Fixed system hang when reading 5GB/7GB MKSYSB tapes in variable block
mode.
|
| 59H2816 | 59H2842 | 39fA | A0000003 | Fixed error reading 2.3GB PTF tapes.
Fixed several problems associated with aborting operation in progress via the Unload button.
|
| 59H2816 | 59H2842 | 41eA | A0000003 | Fixed TAPE_ERR2 with a Fault Symptom Code of E6.
|
Note: In some cases you may already have this microcode update already installed. The following instructions show you how to check the tape drive microcode level.
To display the level of microcode in the 20GB 8mm tape drive do the
following AIX command:
lscfg -vl rmt0 <--- change the drive number to reflect
the actual rmt address of the 20GB
8mm tape drive.
The output of the lscfg command will look like the following with the
"Device Specific.(Z1)" showing the microcode level:
rmt0 00-03-01-2,0 Differential SCSI 8mm
(20000 MB)
Manufacturer................EXABYTE
Machine Type and Model......IBM-20GB
Device Specific.(Z1)........41eA
Serial Number...............60028030
Device Specific.(LI)........A0000001
Part Number.................59H2813
FRU Number..................59H2839
EC Level....................E30233
Device Specific.(Z0)........0180020283000030
Device Specific.(Z3)........
There are 2 ways a user can get the microcode files. Each of these will put the microcode on the user's system but the user may have to move the files to appropriate directory for system use.
When the user downloads the microcode files from the IBM web site the packaged microcode files will be put into the /tmp directory.
Note:
AIX commands and file names are case sensitive.
If the users AIX permission does not allow the copy to the above stated
directory or file then the user will be prompted for a new location.
You now have the following files on the system in the
/tmp/8mm_web
directory:
You now need to change to the directory that was built by the
unpacking of the files by using the following AIX command:
cd /tmp/8mm_web
AIX diagnostics and Genucode require the microcode file and the control file(dsdata) to be in specific directories. AIX diagnostic requires the files to be in the /etc/microcode directory. Genucode requires the files to be /tmp directory.
AIX diagnostics and Genucode use specific information to download microcode to the tape drive. This information is:
You now need match the file name to the Load ID of the Drive.
The output of the AIX command
lscfg -vl rmt0
contains the load ID of the tape drive in the:
Device Specific.(LI) ......... A0000003
It is necessary to copy the files so they are usable by either AIX 5.1 diagnostics or Genucode as they use different naming conventions and require different directories for the microcode file and dsdata file to be in.
The microcode file is the same for all the 20GB 8mm tape drives but the dsdata file is unique based on the Load ID of the drive being updated.
AIX 5.1 diagnostics must have a minimum PTF/APAR
level of:
PTF# U477173 and APAR# IY27025.
As of February 15, 2002:
The current level of AIX Diagnostics CDROM 5.1.0.15 does NOT
contain the fixes required to do microcode download to SCSD drives.
The fix required to do microcode download to SCSD drives will be in the
next release of Diagnostic CD when they are announced and released.
There are 2 ways to do the microcode download using the AIX diagnostics.
To use the AIX 5.1 diagnostics menu for microcode download do the
following:
diag (enter)
Task Selection (enter)
Download Microcode (enter)
Select the drive you wish to download microcode to and follow the system instructions.
Note: When the system asks where the microcode file is to be found select /etc/microcode, not diskette.
The command line to download microcode will use the highest level of microcode in the /etc/microcode directory for the device selected. To use the AIX 5.1 diagnostics command line input for microcode download do the following:
Note: If the previous level of microcode is not in the /etc/microcode
directory you will need to use the -f option(force) as the diagnostics
expect the previous level to be present in the /etc/microcode directory.
diag -c -d rmt0 -T "download" (enter)
Genucode uses the /tmp directory, use the following AIX command to
change to the /tmp directory:
cd /tmp
You now need to use the instructions in the Genucode package to complete the microcode install process.