LTO Stuck Tape Removal Guide and Instructions – StorageDNA Support

**New** Stuck Tape Removal YouTube Video

The pictures depicted above in the guide are for a full height external LTO drives. The instructions below will help you follow the same steps using the Autoloader drives that come packaged with the X100,X200, and X400 packages.

BN590A Half Height Autoloader Drive - Stuck Tape removal

1. Use the link above to follow the flow chart to remedy the stuck tape removal.
2. After the lcd operation on the front panel [ Support -> Force drive to Eject Tape ] has failed to unload the tape continue below.
3. Power down the autoloader and remove any SAS/Fibre cabling, and remove the A/C plug.
4. Identify the problematic drive NOTE: Drive ordering is bottom-up so Drive 1 will be the bottom-most drive.
5. Use the Blue Thumb Screws, turning counter clockwise to loosen. The screws will NOT come off, they will dangle loosely when unscrewed.
6. Use the little handle to slowly slide out the drive. Make note how the drive is positioned and the edge of the drive is aligned with black guide on either side of the drive bay.
7. Verify that the tape is still Intact in the drive.
8. Place the drive sideways, left side down, so that the tape cartridge is facing left and the underside of the drive is facing you.
9. You will see two round torx spindles and a small black thumbwheel.
10. Rotate the thumbwheel CLOCKWISE until you get some resistance and the wheel starts to spring back with more turns. NOTE: If you see the tape cartridge moving out while doing this you are turning the wheel in the wrong direction.
11. Take a Torx T8/T10. Of the two spindles that can accept a Torx driver, use the one to the left that is positioned closer to the tape cartridge. Using the torx driver, turn this spindle CLOCKWISE until you hear a click. This should be rewinding the ribbon into the cartridge, this may take some time depending on how much of the ribbon is still exposed in the drive. Alternatively, the click may happen right away signifying that the ribbon was already rewound into the cartridge.
12. Rotate the thumbwheel COUNTER-CLOCKWISE until you get resistance, as you turn the tape should slowly eject from the drive. Do not remove the tape until the thumbwheel is giving resistance when turning.

Inspecting the Tape Cartridge and drive:
1. There should be a door on the right side of the tape, sliding it backward, ensure that there is a metal pin called the leader pin inside the cartridge that will have a small amount of ribbon wrapped around it. This indicates that the ribbon was completely rewound
2. Ensure that the barcode label is still intact and that the cartridge is not damaged.
3. Look inside the drive slot and ensure that there are no obstructions.

Reinstall the drive unit. We advise testing the load, mount, and unload operations from the Clients page with a different cartridge. Use your discretion on if you want to reuse the tape cartridge within the drive.

Feel free to contact support if you require assistance through this process.

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