VMBTP20503E Error occurred reading a VOL1 label.

Products

• VM:Backup for z/VM
• VM:Backup High-Speed Disaster Recovery Option (HiDRO)

Issue/Introduction

This is a ARCHIVE job trying to use a tape I added to the VMARCH tape pool. Originally the tape had NO HDR1 record. I then manually added on via a 'movefile command'. See below for the VOL1/HDR1 that is physically on the tape.

How do I fix this so I can run a ARCHIVE job. 

VOL1S16240 HDR10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Environment

Release:
Component: VMB

Resolution

When preparing new tapes for VM:Archiver's use, they only need to be labeled with a VOL1. No HDR1 is needed. The HDR1, HDR2 and UHL1 records get created at "write" time.

Although it is misleading, the VMBTP20503E message will also be issued when VM:Backup expects the tape should also have a HDR1 label on the tape and the HDR1 is missing.
You suggest you re-initialize the tape(s) using command CMS TAPE WVOL1.

 

Additional Information

The VMBTP20503E message will also be issued when VM:Backup expects the tape should also have a HDR1 label on the tape and the HDR1 is missing. 

We realize it's probably not ideal that the same message stating VOL1 is used for both VOL1 and HDR1 issues, but we probably have never seen the problem because most sites who run  VMARCH also run with VMBACKUP and VMTAPE. 

As long as there is a valid VOL1 record, VMB should accept the tape.

It's not very often a request to mount a new tape for an archive results in an error reading the label and if it does, we suggest relabeling the tape.