DLT-S4 tape is stuck in Quantum drive all 3 LEDs flashing together. Eject tape button does not work, how to get the tape out?

Lots of good pix of the guts here...

http://support.thesmithlife.com/DLT/

Various intructions.

http://support.thesmithlife.com/DLT/DLTDrive-StuckTape.html

http://www.dectrader.com/docs/set2/ucr_na-CYB201412_002.pdf-1.pdf

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=lpg50246

http://www.ehow.com/how_7861932_remove-stuck-dlt-tape.html

Hello, if it has an eject button, press it quickly several times (can't remember the exact number; try 3 first, then 5, then 7)the reason being that on earlier DLT's the firmware would cause a drive reset which would, if there wasn't a detached leader or other physical problem, result in a tape unload.
p.s. do let me know how you get on!
Regards,
nicam49

this may be a limitation on your motherboard. please check if your motherboard supports this much capacity. If you have another pc or laptop that is about a year or two, check if they would recognize the the capacity of the drive correctly. if not you may want check with quantum about their drives.

Power the unit down and very carefully unscrew the cover.  The greatest care must be when taking the tape out so that you don't bend the unit.

Consider blowing it out to get rid of dust and it very likely has a problem that will require service.  My quantum px502 had a stuck tape and I took the cover off but the picker was already off track - $700 to fix that and replace a sensor.

It gets heavy use and was serviced before in the three years it has been running.  

Run Quantum's DLT from the following link:
http://www.quantum.com/ServiceandSupport/SoftwareandDocumentationDownloads/Sage/Index.aspx

Understand that a bad tape will produce failed tests, so try to use a "known good" tape.
Regardless of the Pass/Fail results, the LogPages are as important, as they capture past failures and may point to the real problem.

Hi Adrian

I would suggest sending it to www.tape-drive-repair.com for them to fix as once the tape has been removed you will still probably have the original fault that caused the tape to get stuck.

If you do try and remove the tape yourself be extremely careful as those drives are very easy to break the load mech and tape leader assy if you dont know exactly how to remove them.

Bear in mind the tape may not actually be stuck though!

Try powering off and on the loader with it disconnected from the server just in case it is your backup software not letting the drive eject the media as this is a common issue (where the software tells the drive it is using the tape (or hasnt finished with it) and stops the eject button from accidental operation)

This is a hardware fault with the drive (Quite common) The drive needs to be properly repaired (Main PCB Fault)

Send it to www.tape-drive-repair.com as they are quite good at this sort of thing and are not expensive

you need to get to the underside of the tape drive itself, there is usually a manual tape release mechanism built in however it usually requires the user to wind the tape off off the spools until it is fully disengaged from the spool and then to unload the tape there are usually magnetic servos and lever arms that need to be moved to release the tape itself, without being able to see the drive myself I could not begin to explain further as each manufacturer's mechanism is different, however the tape release looks like a recessed screw on the underside.

it is possible that if you manage to rewind the tape using the manual release, that reconnecting the drive may allow the drive to eject the tape using the eject button on the front panel

Turn off the tape drive. (Switch in the back of the unit. Wait 2 minutes and then turn unit back on. Tape drive should issue a write data command and then rewind the tape. After rewind completes the tape should eject. If it does not eject after rrewind completes than try holding the eject button for 5 seconds to attempt a "force eject"

Note: Do not repeatedly press the eject button as this can cause damage to the tape and the tape drive.

usually a reboot gets it out...hit eject button BEFORE windows starts up...I've seen some get stuck forever... Good luck.