Tech Tip 702: Sony DAT Error Codes

When the Intellex unit cannot recover from a problem, it displays a message with the Sony DAT error code. These codes are displayed in two parts in the format 0xyy-0xzzzz. The two-digit error type (yy) is listed at the start of each section. The four-digit error code (zzzz) is listed beside each error message. When a DAT drive failure occurs on your Intellex unit, record the exact message and code before contacting your dealer or Sensormatic.

The following information is adapted from version 1.0 of the Sony Product Description Manual for the DDS-3 Tape Drive (Model: SDT-9000).

Lost communication to drive (0xyy-0xzzzz).
yy zz zz
00 NO SENSE: Indicates that there is no specific sense key information to be reported for the designated logical unit. This would be the case for a successful command or a command that received CHECK CONDITION or COMMAND TERMINATED status because one of the Filemark, EOM, or ILI bits is set to one. For Filemark or Setmark detected, the drive will be positioned on the EOM side of the mark if the drive direction was forward and on the BOM side of the mark if the direction was reverse.
00 00 NO ADDITIONAL SENSE INFORMATION
00 01 FILEMARK DETECTED
00 02 END-OF-PARTITION/MEDIUM DETECTED
00 03 SETMARK DETECTED
00 04 BEGINNING-OF-PARTITION/MEDIUM DETECTED
00 05 END-OF-DATA DETECTED
01 RECOVERED ERROR
05 ILLEGAL REQUEST: Indicates that there was an illegal parameter in the Command Descriptor Block or in the additional parameters supplied as data for some commands. If the target detects an invalid parameter in the command descriptor block, then it shall terminate the command without altering the medium. If the target detects an invalid parameter in the additional parameters supplied as data, then the target may have already altered the medium. This sense key may also indicate that an invalid IDENTIFY message was received.
1A 00 PARAMETER LIST LENGTH ERROR: Indicates a Parameter Length error in the Command Descriptor Block. Either the value does not fall on a Header, Page or Block descriptor boundary or the Parameter List Length is unexpectedly large.
20 00 INVALID COMMAND OPERATION CODE: Invalid or unsupported command.
24 00 INVALID FIELD IN CDB: Bits set in one or more fields are not supported or are reserved. Refer to the Field Pointer (Bytes 15-17) to identify the illegal bit or field.
25 00 LOGICAL UNIT NOT SUPPORTED: The SDT-9000 has an embedded SCSI controller with only one Logical Unit (LUN). The error indicates that the LUNTRN field in the Identify message was not zero.
26 00 INVALID FIELD IN PARAMETER LIST: Test Number, Configuration Number Header, or Field in the Parameter List was invalid or selected Diagnostic test is not Host assessable.
26 01 PARAMETER NOT SUPPORTED: Unsupported page requested. Refer to the Field Pointer (Bytes 15-17) to identify the illegal bit or field.
2C 00 COMMAND SEQUENCE ERROR: Write Buffer command when tape is inserted and not at BOT.
3D 00 INVALID BITS IN IDENTIFY MESSAGE: Identify message was not 80h or C0h.
09 Vendor Specific: Not supported by the SDT-9000.
0A COPY ABORTED: Not supported by the SDT-9000.
0B ABORTED COMMAND: Indicates that the target aborted the command. If an invalid or inappropriate message was received during the operation, or a SCSI bus protocol error was detected, the operation is terminated in an indeterminate state and ABORTED COMMAND is returned. The initiator may be able to recover by trying the command again.
00 00 NO ADDITIONAL SENSE INFORMATION: Aborted Command: Host issued Abort message, Eject button pressed by an operator, or command protocol error.
2C 00 COMMAND SEQUENCE ERROR: Unexpected SCSI phase sequence.
43 00 MESSAGE ERROR: Unexpected Message phase.
45 00 SELECT OR RESELECT FAILURE: SCSI Selection/Reselection error.
47 00 SCSI PARITY ERROR: SCSI Parity Error detected and drive proceeded to Status phase.
48 00 INITIATOR DETECTED ERROR MESSAGE RECEIVED
49 00 INVALID MESSAGE ERROR: Illegal Message received and drive proceeded to Status phase.
4A 00 COMMAND PHASE ERROR
4B 00 DATA PHASE ERROR: Possible DMA error.
4E 00 OVERLAPPED COMMANDS ATTEMPTED: Host issued a new command to the drive while a previous command was being executed.
0C EQUAL: Not supported by the SDT-9000.
0D VOLUME OVERFLOW: Indicates that the drive has reached the physical end-of-partition and data may remain in the buffer that has not been written to the medium
00 02 END-OF-PARTITION/MEDIUM DETECTED: During Write-type operation.
0E MISCOMPARE: Not supported by the SDT-9000.
0F RESERVED: Not used by SDT-9000.
Tape drive is empty (0xyy-0xzzzz).
NOTE: This error only occurs when the tape was removed during an archive operation.
yy zz zz
02 NOT READY: Indicates that the logical unit addressed cannot be accessed. Operator intervention may be required to correct this condition. Typically this indicates that there is no tape loaded. This status is also returned if the drive is currently rewinding following REWIND with Immed bit set and another command is received (except for INQUIRY and READ BLOCK LIMITS, which return GOOD status).
04 00 LOGICAL UNIT NOT READY: Media is present within the drive. This status is returned to any tape motion command following UNLOAD with Immed bit set or if the Eject button has been pressed by the operator. Also can be caused by the command sequence, PREVENT ALLOW MEDIA REMOVAL with Prevent bit set followed by UNLOAD. Tape motion commands, such as READ, WRITE or SPACE, are not allowed but Diagnostics which do not access the tape are permitted.
04 01 LOGICAL UNIT IS IN PROCESS OF BECOMING READY: This status is returned following a LOAD command with the Immed bit set for any tape motion command before the tape is loaded. Also during the auto load following a tape insertion.
3A 00 MEDIUM NOT PRESENT: This status is returned for all tape motion commands when there is no media within the drive.
Tape media error (0xyy-0xzzzz).
NOTE: Many of the following errors may be caused by dirty or clogged heads. Clean the heads and try again before contacting your dealer or Sensormatic.
yy zz zz
03 MEDIUM ERROR: Indicates that the current command or a previously acknowledged write-type operation terminated with a non-recovered error condition that was probably caused by a flaw in the medium, an error in the recorded data or the cleanliness of the head. This sense key may also be returned if the drive is unable to distinguish between a flaw in the medium and a specific hardware failure (sense key 04h). This condition is also marked by the Valid bit being set, indicating that the information bytes contain residue information.
00 02 END-OF-PARTITION/MEDIUM DETECTED
0C 00 WRITE ERROR: The Read-After-Write Retry limit was exceeded during Write. Probably caused by a flaw in the media
11 00 UNRECOVERED READ ERROR: C1, C2 & C3 Error Correction could not correct a Read Error. Probably caused by a flaw in the media.
11 08 INCOMPLETE BLOCK READ: The drive could not read the DDS Format Group containing the requested block. Could be caused by head clogging or media damage.
14 04 BLOCK SEQUENCE ERROR: The Group Count, which increments on sequential groups, is not continuous. Format discontinuity.
15 02 POSITIONING ERROR DETECTED BY READ OF MEDIUM: Cannot find destination Group during Space operation.
30 00 INCOMPATIBLE MEDIUM INSTALLED: Format violation. It is possible that the Sub-Area cannot be read.
30 02 CANNOT READ MEDIUM, INCOMPATIBLE FORMAT: Format violation, non-DDS.
31 00 MEDIUM FORMAT CORRUPTED: DDS format Group GIT, BAT, or Sub-Codes do not match or are improper.
33 00 TAPE LENGTH ERROR: Attempting to select partition 1 on a single partition tape. Requested partition size in MODE SELECT - Medium Partitions Parameter page is too large (exceeds tape length) or too small (0< requested partition size in frames <2541).
3B 00 SEQUENTIAL POSITIONING ERROR: Cannot format the tape because the tape position is not at BOT.
3B 01 TAPE POSITION ERROR AT BEGINNING-OF-MEDIUM: Broken tape.
3B 08 REPOSITION ERROR: Position lost during Read, Verify, Write or Select Partition operation. This will not be reported when Spacing.
50 00 WRITE APPEND ERROR: Cannot find the last frame of the Group and therefore, cannot append.
70 NN DECOMPRESSION EXCEPTION SHORT ALGORITHM ID OF NN: ALGORITHM ID <= 255.
71 00 DECOMPRESSION EXCEPTION LONG ALGORITHM ID: ALGORITHM ID > 255.
Hardware error (0xyy-0xzzzz).
yy zz zz
04 HARDWARE ERROR: Indicates that the drive detected a non-recoverable hardware failure not related to the tape (for example, controller failure, device failure, parity error, etc.) while performing the command or during a self-test. If a previously acknowledged WRITE-type operation was the cause, the Valid bit is set. The Error Code in Sense Byte 16 will indicate the specific problem. Refer to the Error Code table in the Diagnostics section for more information.
03 00 PERIPHERAL DEVICE WRITE FAULT: Drive electronics did not report successful completion to a Write operation.
09 00 TRACK FOLLOWING ERROR: Mechanical motion timeout, Servo loopback failure, Drum or Capstan speed out of expected tolerance.
15 01 MECHANICAL POSITIONING ERROR: Cassette Compartment motion is improper.
44 00 INTERNAL TARGET FAILURE: Any unexpected internal error conditions indicating a non-recoverable hardware failure. Refer to the Field Replaceable Unit Code field (Sense Byte 14) to determine which part of the drive is failing. Host should issue SEND DIAGNOSTICS with the Self-Test bit set to thoroughly test the drive. This Sense information could also be returned after a SEND DIAGNOSTICS command ends with a CHECK CONDITION Status. Host should issue RECEIVE DIAGNOSTICS RESULTS for more details. Possible causes: Buffer overrun/underrun, Format violation, Mechanical status timeout, internal data parity error, byte count mismatch, incorrect microprocessor operation, unexpected SCSI protocol chip interrupt.
52 00 CARTRIDGE FAULT: Possible causes: Illegal media recognition switch pattern, Reel motors will not turn.
53 00 MEDIA LOAD OR EJECT FAILED: Unable to complete Load or Unload operation successfully. Possible causes: Mechanical problems or Read/Write failure in test section of the media.
Tape drive not ready (0xyy-0xzzzz).
yy zz zz
06 UNIT ATTENTION: Indicates that the removable medium may have been changed or the target has been reset.
28 00 NOT READY TO READY TRANSITION, MEDIUM MAY HAVE CHANGED
29 00 POWER ON, RESET, OR BUS DEVICE RESET OCCURRED
29 80 Drive Failed Power-on test or Diagnostic (SONY Unique)
2A 00 PARAMETERS CHANGED
2A 01 MODE PARAMETERS CHANGED: Issued to all other initiators after one initiator changes any Mode Parameter.
Encountered blank spot on media (0xyy-0xzzzz).
yy zz zz
08 BLANK CHECK: Indicates the drive encountered blank medium or end-of-data indication while reading.
00 00 NO ADDITIONAL SENSE INFORMATION: Blank Tape was encountered at BOT.
00 05 END-OF-DATA DETECTED: During READ or SPACE command.
Unknown message error (0xyy-0xzzzz).
This message appears when the Intellex software cannot interpret a message from the DAT drive.
Trapped codes
The Intellex software traps and processes the following error codes:
yy zz zz
03 14 03 END-OF-DATA NOT FOUND: While Reading a DDS format tape, the drive en- countered blank (unformatted) media during a Read operation. This error could be caused by serious head clogging.
07 DATA PROTECT: Indicates that a WRITE-type of operation was attempted on a write protected tape. Write operation is not performed.
27 00 WRITE PROTECTED: Cassette is Write Protected.

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Last Revised: 01/05/00