Tape positioning error

[adrien.herve]

Hello guys,

After upgrading from Veeam B&R 8.0.0.2029 to 8.0.0.2084 I'm experiencing weird errors with backup to tape jobs.
All the (full) tape jobs failing with this error message:

Code: Select all

Failed to start new tape backup session: StartSessionTape failed
Failed to prepare to start new tape session: StartSessionTape failed
Failed to prepare to start new tape session: StartSessionTape failed StartSessionTape failed Tape positioning error: An attempt to access data before the beginning-of-medium marker failed

I don't think this KB (https://www.veeam.com/kb2003) is matching my problem. I don't have this issue before and different tapes were used during the backup.
Another strange thing: data seems to be totally transferred on tape, the duration of the job is matching the size of data needs to be writed on tape. The job is failing at the end so I don't know if this is a true or false error.

Support case ID: 01705320

Did somebody is facing the same problem?
Thanks,
Adrien

[veremin]

Truth be told we have not seen this issue in a while and the last time it was reported it was environment-specific. So, the best thing you can do is to keep working with support engineer till the root cause is found. Thanks.

[danc]

I seem to be getting the same error as well
It seems to happen since I rebooted our Veeam backup server after windows patching which interrupted backups to tape at the time. However, I have not come across this error before.
I did reboot the tape library as well.

[veremin]

Unfortunately, the case is in French, so, I can't make sense of it. As far as I can tell, the issue is being researched at the moment. So, it might be worth opening your own ticket and making reference to the case mentioned by OP. Thanks.

[adrien.herve]

Hi guys,

Just to give you a quick feedback the support has fixed this issue last week by publishing a specific Veeam.Backup.Core.dll.
This problem happens in this particular scenario:
- The backup to tape job is using differents media pools for full and incremental backups.
- Full and increments are writing on tape during the same job session.

For the moment there's no fix for V9 only for V8.

Hope this helps,

[ccatlett1984]

I get this error when it tries to use a bad tape. (We are re-using tapes.)
I am using the same pool for both full's & inc's.

I'll open a case and see if the fixed dll lets me re-use those "bad" tapes.

[pa.it]

We get this error:

Code: Select all

14-03-2016 08:32:16 :: Failed to prepare to start new tape session: StartSessionTape failed StartSessionTape failed
Tape positioning error: An attempt to access data before the beginning-of-medium marker failed 

Its stop the job and you shall proteck the tape if you want the job to run again

We are using HP tape and HP MSL6480

Veeam 8 update 3

[PTide]

Hi,

When posting about technical issues please include your case ID. Otherwise your topic can be deleted within 24 hours.

Thank you.

[alistairmcnaught]

Case #04754960

I am having the same issue in Build 11.0.0.837. Is there a fix?

[HannesK]

Hello,
and welcome to the forums. If there is a fix, then support can provide it.

Logs are missing in the case... support can only help with logs https://www.veeam.com/kb1832

Best regards,
Hannes

[NightBird]

Case #04754960

I am having the same issue in Build 11.0.0.837. Is there a fix?

Same error with a customer, old tapes works fine, new one throw this error

Unable to erase or something else...

HPE Autoloader with HPE cartridge.

[HannesK]

can you post the support case number please?

[NightBird]

Case # 04755993

I will wait for support to contact my customer
No urgent matter

[Shaokat]

you can try both tape and backup server rebooting

[claudiofolu]

Same error here..
Case #04763105

Fresh v11 installation

[Dima P.]

Thanks for sharing your case IDs! Reviewing the case details with QA team.

[lyapkost]

Hi guys. This is a known problem and it appears with a combination of two factors: HP LTO6 drives and new fresh tapes which were never written before. The problem is fixed in the upcoming 11 CP2. However there's a private fix for 11 CP1 as well. To obtain it, please, ask your support engineer to refer to the case #04702128. Also there's a workaround: erase a new tape once with native library tools.

[claudiofolu]

Thank you!
Can you explain the workaround?
"erase a new tape once with native library tools" ? Im not quite sure about it.

[lyapkost]

For example, you may use HPE Library and Tape Tools.

[claudiofolu]

Thank you lyapkost!
Veeam support just send us the fix...Works great

[MostlyCaffeinated]

Just wanted to let the forums know we hit the exact same bug on v11.0.0.837 and LTO5 tapes as well. So not just limited to LTO6.
Contacted support, referenced the case number above, they provided the patched files and tape jobs are back up and running well.

[Dima P.]

Hello Brian,

I've pinged back the QA team to update internal notes based on your post. Thanks for sharing the update!

[nathano]

I have just got this error with new tapes in a HP MSL2024 with LTO6 drives when I ran a backup

"30/04/2021 18:07:00 :: Error: No more data is on the tape.

Tape positioning error: The end-of-data marker was reached during an operation"

and this when I tried to erase the tape with Veeam

"1/05/2021 00:07:08 Error Failed to erase tape FBA903L6 Error: No more data is on the tape.
Tape positioning error: The end-of-data marker was reached during an operation"

I'm guessing it's the same thing? I will log a case

[Dima P.]

Hi Nathan,

Looks similar, but please let support folks check the logs to be completely sure. Cheers!

[nathano]

Case 04785896 has been logged.

I was really hoping to get a VBR upgrade without any tape issues... No where near as disastrous as the last one but this is still a pain

[Dima P.]

Nathan,

I am sorry for that and we will do our best to keep improving the upgrade experience. Thanks for sharing the case!

[Mark L]

I have encountered this issue as well. Job fails right at the beginning with "No more data is on the tape. Tape positioning error: The end-of-data marker was reached during an operation." HPE library with brand new, unused LTO6 tapes.

My support ticket is 04788445.

[Dima P.]

Shared your case with the folks who are investigating this issue. Thanks!

[brensly]

We have the same issue with unused LTO-5 tapes. Tapes, drive, autoloader are all HP.
Case #04798876

[Dima P.]

Thank you for sharing the case ID! QA team has confirmed that the fix is not LTO generation related, so please request the fix from our support team after debug log analysis.