Acclimate DLT Tapes to the Environment Before Using

This Information Blitz, issued by Compaq, addresses the issue of DLT III tapes sticking to the Read/Write head of TZ8xx series tape drives. This condition, known as 'stiction,' often results in media damage, command or batch job failures, and drive errors.

Root Cause

The issue is caused by hydrolysis resulting from high tape humidity. Testing indicates it frequently occurs when older tapes stored in cool, damp conditions are used in drives kept in warmer, drier environments.

Solution

To prevent this issue, ensure tapes are moved to the same environment as the drive and allowed to acclimate for either the duration of their storage away from the drive or 24 hours, whichever is less. For long-term archiving, cartridges should be stored at 73°F (23°C) ±9°F (±5°C) and 50% ±10% relative humidity.