[comp.os.vms] EOT problems with TA81

MCKEEVER@UMKCVAX1.BITNET (06/16/87)

Mary Malmros at Smith says she is having problems with her TU81+, that it is
having problems with EOT.  At our site we had a similar problem with a TA81,
but it was not a software problem.  It took about 6 months before we finally
found out what was going on.  The symptoms were: running off the end of tape
or not recognizing  the EOT, refusing to take certain tapes with no apparent
pattern with  regard  to  manufacturer or the data on the tape, passing  and
then failing diagnostics again and again with no real pattern.  The problem
was even escalated up to district support after local field service couldn't
solve the problem.   They tried  changing  EOT  sensors, and multiple boards
several times to  no  avail.  And finally one day, while field  service  was
running  diagnostics  again,  one  of  them  touched  the octopus cable that
connects  all  the  boards  together  and  the  drive  threw  the EOT error.
WHOOPPPIE!!!  And it was reproducable!  The next day they replaced the cable
and we've had no problems since.   I  don't  know if this is Mary's problem,
but it is something to look into.  If not, maybe  it  will  help  some other
poor netlander, since I have heard that there is a known engineering problem
with some of the cable connections on the TA81.  BTW, we were very satisfied
with the help we got from Field Service for the most part.  They  tried very
hard, kept us informed always, and finally solved the problem.   I just wish
they would have shook the %$%$#& cable a bit sooner.

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     UMU   UMUMUMUMUM            Brian McKeever
     UMU   UMUMUMUMUM            Computer Science
      U   UM        U            University of Missouri Kansas City
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