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 off
IF \{%1\}
\{\} 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 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 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 / <Tape Device>.
03. Right-click the <Tape Device> and press All Tasks / Inventory.
04. After the inventory completes, expand Media under <Tape Device>.
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.
