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Handle tape cartridges carefully.
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Do not drop the cartridge. If the cartridge drops, slide the cartridge door back and ensure that the leader pin is properly seated in the pin-retaining spring clips. See
2 in Figure 1. If the leader pin becomes dislodged, go to Repositioning or reattaching a leader pin.
Do not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can damage the tape 's surface or edges, which might interfere with read or write reliability.
Pulling on tape that is outside the cartridge can damage the tape and the brake mechanism in the cartridge.
Do not stack more than six cartridges.
Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tape unusable.
Examples of cartridge problems
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Several examples of cartridge problems.
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Split cartridge case. See Figure 1.
If a cartridge's case is damaged, there is a high possibility of media damage and potential loss.
Procedure
1. Look for cartridge mishandling.
2. Use the IBM Leader Pin Reattachment Kit (part number 08L9129) to correctly seat the pin (see Repositioning or reattaching a leader pin). Then, immediately use
data recovery procedures to minimize chances of data loss.
3. Review media-handling procedures.
Results
Improper placement of leader pin. See Figure 1.
The leader pin is misaligned.
1. Look for cartridge damage.
2. Use the IBM® Leader Pin Reattachment Kit (part number 08L9129) to correctly seat the pin (see Repositioning or reattaching a leader pin). Then, immediately use
data recovery procedures to minimize chances of data loss.
Repositioning or reattaching a leader pin
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Procedures involved with repositioning or reattaching a leader pin in your cartridge.
Attention: Use a repaired tape cartridge only to recover data and move it to another cartridge. Continued use of a repaired cartridge might void the warranties of the drive
and the cartridge.
If the leader pin in your cartridge becomes dislodged from its pin-retaining spring clips or detaches from the tape, you must use the IBM® Leader Pin Reattachment Kit
(part number 08L9129) to reposition or reattach it. (Do not reattach the pin if you must remove more than 7 meters (23 feet) of leader tape.) The sections that follow
describe each procedure.
Repositioning a leader pin
Procedure for repositioning a leader pin.
Reattaching a leader pin
Procedure for reattaching a leader pin.
Repositioning a leader pin
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Procedure for repositioning a leader pin.
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A leader pin that is improperly seated inside a cartridge interferes with the operation of the drive. Figure 1 shows a leader pin in the incorrect 1 and correct 2 positions.
To place the leader pin in its proper position, you need the following tools:
Plastic or blunt-end tweezers
Cartridge manual rewind tool (from Leader Pin Reattachment Kit, part number 08L9129)