Tape marked BADMEDIA using Oracle VSM
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Tape marked BADMEDIA using Oracle VSM

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Article ID: 235081

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Updated On:

Products

VM:Tape for z/VM

Issue/Introduction

We are having issues with an Oracle VSM "VMSMC (V7.3.0)" and VM Tape 2.0 marking several tapes in the pool to BADMEDIA. 

We are receiving these messages and then the tapes are unusable. If we later remove the BADMEDIA Flag and use the tapes, several will work but some will not. 

VMTHSC0697E HSC server VMSMC ACSRQ=SCRATCH RC= 16 Reason=00004011           
VMTMNV0275E Unable to prepare scratch volume 'E01244' -- marked as BADMEDIA in library.

We are using AUTOPICK.  Perhaps I am missing a step to resolve this issue with the tapes getting marked as BADMEDIA. 

 

Environment

Release : 2.0

Component : VM:Tape for zVM

Cause

We suspect this anomaly can be resolved by not using AUTOPICK and asking HSC for a SCRATCH tape. 

Resolution

We suspect this anomaly can be resolved by not using AUTOPICK and asking HSC for a SCRATCH tape. 

With AUTOPICK, unless you reset the PICK LIST pointer, VMTAPE will start with 1st tape in the range a move sequentially to the last tape in the range; then start back at the 1st tape. This is of course a great feature if you are using physical tapes to reduce wear on the media ... but doesn't really apply to virtual tapes.