User's Guide

Operating Your Autoloader Starting the Autoloader
29
Starting the Autoloader
Turn on all external SCSI devices attached to your computer before you turn on the computer. When
the autoloader is first started, the following events should occur:
1. The Clean, Media, and Drive LED’s light up for two seconds, then start flashing.
2. The LCD display shows the current SCSI ID.
3. If a magazine is loaded, the LCD display shows the message “SCAN X” while the autoloader
determines which slots in the magazine contain cartridges.
4. As each cartridge is identified by the autoloader, the cartridge’s slot number is displayed on
the LCD. If there is no cartridge in a slot, the slot number will not be displayed.
5. When all tests are completed, the LCD display shows the message “READY” if a magazine is
loaded. If no magazine is loaded, the message “NO MAGAZINE” is shown.
Handling Cartridges
To protect your data cartridges and the information on them, observe the guidelines and avoid the
pitfalls in the following table.
NOTE: If your computer does not recognize the autoloader, you may need to load the
appropriate autoloader module for your backup software. See your backup software installation
manual for additional information.
Table 5. Cartridge Guidelines and Pitfalls
Guidelines to Follow... Pitfalls to Avoid
Use DAT cartridges at temperatures from 5° C (40° F)
to 40° C (104° F). Cartridges can be stored at
temperatures down to -40° C (-40° F).
Do not expose cartridges to direct sunlight, moisture,
excessively dry or humid places, extreme changes in
temperature or humidity, or X-rays.
Handle cartridges gently. Do not treat cartridges roughly or drop them.
Keep cartridges in plastic cases when they are not in
use.
Do not try to clean the tape guides or tape path
inside the cartridge.
Apply just one label to the designated area on the
cartridge. Affixing more labels can jam the drive.
Never touch the exposed tape media with your
fingers.
If your data is important, consider reading data off of
tapes and rewriting to new and perhaps more
modern tapes every few years.
Never leave cartridges close to magnetic fields, such
as near a monitor or telephone handset.
If cartridges are exposed to temperatures or
humidities outside the specified operating
environment, expose them to the operating
environment for a time equal to the period that the
cartridges were exposed to the out-of-specification
environment (up to a maximum of 24 hours).
Do not read from or write to cartridges when a
temperature change of 10° C per hour is occurring.