README: 200GB Half High LTO-2 Tape Drive Microcode
This package is being provided to allow the update of older 200GB LTO-2 Tape Drive Microcode 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 external web site.
All levels of AIX that this product was announced on.
The typical time to install this microcode is .3 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.
In order to complete the microcode download to the tape drive
you will need to use the AIX 5.1 diagnostics and higher,
For the AIX diagnostic package 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
to download the microcode into the tape drive.
Remove any tape cartridge from the drive prior to attempting the
microcode download.
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.
All pSeries 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 200GB LTO GEN2 tape drive
up to the current level of microcode which is:
0410
Also 7212-102/103 Feature Code 1109
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0218 | A1700D54 | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0290 | A1700D54 | Improved error handling to reduced drive time outs and SCSI bus
errors.
Improve "Prevent media removal" handling. Improve internal drive trace information. Improve reading of Data Cartridges with problems in the cartridge memory. Improve writing to marginal tapes or tapes where dropouts had previously been detected. Improve tape tension control. Improve internal buffer handling during delays in system delivering data to the drive. Improve error indication during drive Power On Self Test(POST). Reduce causes of stuck tape, including ejecting a tape with a "Cartridge Memory" problem. Change LED indications during and after tape drive diagnostics. Cartridge Eject in Service Mode Reset function. If Drive was Reset from Service Mode Entry #2 (Drive Reset) the drive will now Eject the Cartridge. Implement Emergency Eject of a cartridge by holding the eject button for an extended period of time(approximately 25 seconds).This will also reset the drive.
|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0330 | A1700D54 | Eliminate issues with some SCSI adapters when the tape drive is
set to variable blocksize(0).
Eliminate a problem where a cleaning cartridge with defect Cartridge Memory will cause reset and then cause a cleaning cartridge to get stuck in the drive. Improve cartridge handling where the cartridge has a defective cartridge memory. Improve error reporting by the drive. Allow write and reading of tapes with inverted servo tracks. Improve drive performance on read and write by eliminating un-necessary internal interrupt. Improve allowable physical margins in handling some cartridge. Worn Media', 'Dead Drive' and 'Dead Media' are added into Sense Data returned by the drive for use in manual problem determination. Reduces instances of Fatal Trap errors.
|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0375 | A1700D54 |
Improve emergency eject capability with some tape drive internal
errors.
Improve error handling and tracking on errors involving tape insertion. Increase Log visibility by adding Cleaning Required bit in Request Sense Data in addition to the previous 3 Service Bits ("worn media", "dead media", and "dead drive. Eliminate some causes of "Fatal Trap" errors caused by an internal microcode deadlock conditions.
|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0376 | A1700D54 |
Fix Fatal trap if a reset occurs while unbuckling an expired cleaning
cartridge.
Improve handling of cartridges properly seated (Accept cartridge which is not fully inserted).
|
| 96P1773
23R3247 | 96P1775
23R3248 | 0410 | A1700D54 |
Handle thin media. Some brands of media are thinner than expected. This
fix better handles this "thin" media. This resolves some causes of
media errors(write and read errors).
Improve the drive internal "Flash" recovery when the drive is powered off during the taking of an internal drive dump/trace. Better handle false tack pulses which can show up as media errors.
|
| Tape Drive P/N | Tape Drive FRU P/N | Microcode Level | Load ID | What does this microcode change
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0218 | A1700D5A | First Microcode level shipped.
|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0290 | A1700D5A | Improved error handling to reduced drive time outs and SCSI bus
errors.
Remove the "H0" from the Drive Vital Product Data(VPD) in drive P/N 23R3247. Improve "Prevent media removal" handling. Improve internal drive trace information. Improve reading of Data Cartridges with problems in the cartridge memory. Improve writing to marginal tapes or tapes where dropouts had previously been detected. Improve tape tension control. Improve internal buffer handling during delays in system delivering data to the drive. Improve error indication during drive Power On Self Test(POST). Reduce causes of stuck tape, including ejecting a tape with a "Cartridge Memory" problem. Change LED indications during and after tape drive diagnostics. Cartridge Eject in Service Mode Reset function. If Drive was Reset from Service Mode Entry #2 (Drive Reset) the drive will now Eject the Cartridge. Implement Emergency Eject of a cartridge by holding the eject button for an extended period of time(approximately 25 seconds).This will also reset the drive.
|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0330 | A1700D5A | Eliminate issues with some SCSI adapters when the tape drive is
set to variable blocksize(0).
Eliminate a problem where a cleaning cartridge with defect Cartridge Memory will cause reset and then cause a cleaning cartridge to get stuck in the drive. Improve cartridge handling where the cartridge has a defective cartridge memory. Improve error reporting by the drive. Allow write and reading of tapes with inverted servo tracks. Improve drive performance on read and write by eliminating un-necessary internal interrupt. Improve allowable physical margins in handling some cartridge. Worn Media', 'Dead Drive' and 'Dead Media' are added into Sense Data returned by the drive for use in manual problem determination. Reduces instances of Fatal Trap errors.
|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0375 | A1700D5A |
Improve emergency eject capability with some tape drive internal
errors.
Improve error handling and tracking on errors involving tape insertion. Increase Log visibility by adding Cleaning Required bit in Request Sense Data in addition to the previous 3 Service Bits ("worn media", "dead media", and "dead drive. Eliminate some causes of "Fatal Trap" errors caused by an internal microcode deadlock conditions.
|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0376 | A1700D5A |
Fix Fatal trap if a reset occurs while unbuckling an expired cleaning
cartridge.
Improve handling of cartridges properly seated (Accept cartridge which is not fully inserted).
|
| 96P1776 | 96P1777 | 0410 | A1700D5A |
Handle thin media. Some brands of media are thinner than expected. This
fix better handles this "thin" media. This resolves some causes of
media errors(write and read errors).
Improve the drive internal "Flash" recovery when the drive is powered off during the taking of an internal drive dump/trace. Better handle false tack pulses which can show up as media errors.
|
Note: In some cases you may already have the most current level of microcode already installed. The following instructions show you how to check the tape drive microcode level.
To display the level of microcode in the IBM 7212-102/103
or the internal
200GB LTO GEN2 tape drive do the following AIX command:
lscfg -vl rmt0 <--- change the drive number to reflect
the actual rmt address of the 200GB
HH_LTO_Gen_2 tape drive.
The output of the lscfg command will look like the following with the "Device Specific.(Z1)" showing the microcode level:
rmt0 P1/Z1-A8 LVD SCSI 1/2-inch Cartridge Tape Drive (200000 MB)
Manufacturer................IBM
Machine Type and Model......HH LTO Gen 2
Device Specific.(Z1)........0410
Serial Number...............2000006A
Device Specific.(LI)........A1700D54
Part Number.................96P1773
FRU Number..................96P1775
EC Level....................H81465
Device Specific.(Z0)........0180030283000130
Device Specific.(Z3)........N1
rmt1 P1/Z1-A2 LVD SCSI 1/2-inch Cartridge Tape Drive (200000 MB)
Manufacturer................IBM
Machine Type and Model......HH LTO Gen 2 H0
Device Specific.(Z1)........0218
Serial Number...............25000092
Device Specific.(LI)........A1700D5A
Part Number.................23R3247
FRU Number..................23R3248
EC Level....................H81465
Device Specific.(Z0)........0180030283000130
Device Specific.(Z3)........N1
The microcode level
0290
changes the Vital Product Data in the drive Feature Code 1977 from:
Machine Type and Model......HH LTO Gen 2 H0
To:
Machine Type and Model......HH LTO Gen 2
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.
Note: The ./ before the command insures AIX paths thru the current directory to find the command.
To insure the file was downloaded without error do the following:
45789 2049 HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D54.0410 53078 2 HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D54.dsdata 23087 2049 HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D5A.0410 22835 2 HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D5A.dsdata
AIX diagnostics requires the microcode file and the dsdata file to be in the /etc/microcode directory.
Copy the Dsdata and Microcode files to appropriate directory for use by AIX diagnostics.
Note: The copy command copies the file to the new directory with the same name when you use the period(.) after new directory name.
If you downloaded the
RPM
file and executed it the microcode is in
the correct directory with the correct name for AIX diagnostic use.
If you downloaded the .bin
file and executed it then you need to do
the following AIX commands:
cd /tmp/LTO_web
cp HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D54.dsdata /etc/microcode/.
cp HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D54.0410 /etc/microcode/.
cp HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D5A.dsdata /etc/microcode/.
cp HH_LTO_Gen_2.A1700D5A.0410 /etc/microcode/.
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)