JSI Tip 7914. How can I prepare for a scheduled backup to a stand-alone tape device that will require a 2nd tape?

NOTE: See a revised tip at 7925 How can I prepare for a scheduled backup to a stand-alone tape device that will require a 2nd tape?

When you schedule a backup to a stand-alone tape device, even if you use the /UM switch, when the first tape fills up and is ejected, the backup will quit if you insert a tape that is NOT in the Free Media pool.

This problem is due to the fact that Removable Storage cannot write a free media label on a tape when the backup is run from a batch file.

To workaround this behavior, you must Prepare the extra tapes prior to starting the backup.

Windows Server 2003

I have scripted FreeMedia.bat to deallocate the mounted tape, write a free media label to it, and eject the tape.

The syntax for using FreeMedia.bat is:

FreeMedia TapeString

Where TapeString is any unique portion of the LIBRARY name.

Example:

When I open a CMD.EXE window and type rsm view /tlibrary, it returns:

LIBRARY

Off-line Media
SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616T
_NEC DVD+RW ND-1100A
Seagate STT3401A USB Device
HP Ultrium 2-SCSI SCSI Sequential Device

The command completed successfully.

Since the Library I want to use is the HP Ultrium 2-SCSI SCSI Sequential Device, running: FreeMedia ultrium would select the proper library.

FreeMedia.bat contains:

@echo offIF {%1}

{} @echo Syntax: FreeMedia TapeString&Exit /b 1 setlocal set string=%1 set string=%string:"=% call :silent>nul 2>&1 if not defined media @echo No media in library endlocal exit /b 0 :silent for /f "Tokens=2-15" %%a in ('rsm view /tlibrary /guiddisplay^|Findstr /i /c:"%string%"') do ( if not defined tape if not {%%n}

{} set tape=%%n if not defined tape if not {%%m}

{} set tape=%%m if not defined tape if not {%%l}

{} set tape=%%l if not defined tape if not {%%k}

{} set tape=%%k if not defined tape if not {%%j}

{} set tape=%%j if not defined tape if not {%%i}

{} set tape=%%i if not defined tape if not {%%h}

{} set tape=%%h if not defined tape if not {%%g}

{} set tape=%%g if not defined tape if not {%%f}

{} set tape=%%f if not defined tape if not {%%e}

{} set tape=%%e if not defined tape if not {%%d}

{} set tape=%%d if not defined tape if not {%%c}

{} set tape=%%c if not defined tape if not {%%b}

{} set tape=%%b if not defined tape if not {%%a}

{} set tape=%%a ) rsm INVENTORY /LG%tape% /AFULL @ping -n 31 127.0.0.1>null for /f "Skip=1 Tokens=2-19" %%a in ('rsm view /tphysical_media /cg%tape% /guiddisplay^|Findstr /v /c:"The command"') do ( if not defined media if not {%%r}

{} set media=%%r if not defined media if not {%%q}

{} set media=%%q if not defined media if not {%%p}

{} set media=%%p if not defined media if not {%%o}

{} set media=%%o if not defined media if not {%%n}

{} set media=%%n if not defined media if not {%%m}

{} set media=%%m if not defined media if not {%%l}

{} set media=%%l if not defined media if not {%%k}

{} set media=%%k if not defined media if not {%%j}

{} set media=%%j if not defined media if not {%%i}

{} set media=%%i if not defined media if not {%%h}

{} set media=%%h if not defined media if not {%%g}

{} set media=%%g if not defined media if not {%%f}

{} set media=%%f if not defined media if not {%%e}

{} set media=%%e if not defined media if not {%%d}

{} set media=%%d if not defined media if not {%%c}

{} set media=%%c if not defined media if not {%%b}

{} set media=%%b if not defined media if not {%%a}

{} set media=%%a ) @ping -n 6 127.0.0.1>null for /f "Skip=1 Tokens=2-15" %%a in ('rsm view /tpartition /cg%media% /guiddisplay^|Findstr /v /c:"The command"') do ( if not defined part if not {%%n}

{} set part=%%n if not defined part if not {%%m}

{} set part=%%m if not defined part if not {%%l}

{} set part=%%l if not defined part if not {%%k}

{} set part=%%k if not defined part if not {%%j}

{} set part=%%j if not defined part if not {%%i}

{} set part=%%i if not defined part if not {%%h}

{} set part=%%h if not defined part if not {%%g}

{} set part=%%g if not defined part if not {%%f}

{} set part=%%f if not defined part if not {%%e}

{} set part=%%e if not defined part if not {%%d}

{} set part=%%d if not defined part if not {%%c}

{} set part=%%c if not defined part if not {%%b}

{} set part=%%b if not defined part if not {%%a}=={} set part=%%a ) rsm deallocate /pg%part% @ping -n 6 127.0.0.1>null rsm freemedia /pg%media% @ping -n 6 127.0.0.1>null rsm eject /pg%media% /ASTART

Windows 2000 and Windows XP

Since these operating systems do NOT currently support the rsm freemedia command, manually de-allocate and free the media:

01. Right-click My Computer and press Manage.

02. Use Computer Management / Storage / Removable Storage / Physical Locations / .

03. Right-click the and press All Tasks / Inventory.

04. After the inventory completes, expand Media under .

05. Right-click the mounted tape and use All Tasks / Deallocate.

06. If prompted to confirm, press YES.

07. Right-Click the media you deallocated and then press Prepare.

08. Press YES if prompted to confirm.

09. Use the Eject Wizard to eject the tape.