Cleaning the DAT Drive
4-3
Compaq Confidential – Need to Know Required
Writer: Debbie McRill Project: Compaq DAT Drive Reference Guide Comments:
Part Number: 155452-002 File Name: Chapter 4 Cleaning DAT Tape Drives.doc Last Saved On: 2/7/00 10:02 AM
Cleaning Recommendations
Of the tape drives available today, DAT drives are more susceptible to the
buildup of dirt and magnetic particles. If a DAT drive is not kept clean,
increased errors will occur. Recommendations for cleaning DAT drives are as
follows:
■
When using new cassette, clean the drive heads with a cleaning cassette
after every 8 hours of use.
■
When using cassettes that have already been used five times, clean the
drive heads with a cleaning cassette after every 100 hours of use.
■
If you begin to experience read/write errors, format failures, or a number
of bad blocks, clean the head and capstan three more times before
concluding that either the cassette or the tape drive is defective.
■
In a dusty environment, one cleaning cycle may not fully clean the DAT
drive read/write heads. If the backup software reports errors, clean the
drive again. No more than four cleanings will be required to ensure that
heads are fully clean.
CAUTION:
No other periodic maintenance is required.
Do not
use
alcohol or cleaning solution to clean DAT tape drives.
Do Not
clean read/write heads with a cotton swab. Fibers from a cotton
swab can cause permanent damage to the head.
