A major cause of tape back-up failure has proven to be the lack of adhering to regular cleaning schedules.
Your 4mm DAT and 8mm Helical Scan Tape Drive is a highly sophisticated electromechanical peripheral requiring scheduled cleaning and maintenance. In many cases, cleaning and maintenance procedures are often forgotten and neglected because of the high reliability and performance of these devices. Much like the old adage "if it ain't broke, then don't fix it." But the truth is, these devices need scheduled cleaning to ensure and maintain reliability. Often, we receive calls requesting repair for 4mm and 8mm drives, when all that is required is a simple CLEANING. Below are money saving tips to help identify the symptoms of a drive requiring cleaning and the steps required to clean the drive.
Cleaning Cartridges
Most DAT tape drive manufacturers recommend and approve certain brands of cleaning cartridges. Regardless of what brand cartridge you choose, never rewind the cleaning cartridge and re-use it. This could cause head contamination and result in costly repairs. To be certain about which cartridge to choose, CHECK with the drive manufacturer or cleaning cartridge manufacturer to ensure compatibility and warranty compliance. As in most cases, Audio DAT and Video cleaning cartridges should NOT be used. Use only certified cartridges to insure proper cleaning and to avoid damage to the drive.
When to Clean
In most cases, the normal cleaning schedule ranges from approximately 10-25 hours of use depending on the environment. Cleaning should also be done after the first use of a new tape cartridge. It is IMPORTANT to refer to your specific manufacturer's manual for specific information about your particular drive.
REMEMBER - Use of the proper cleaning cartridge and regular cleaning schedules may eliminate the need for costly repairs and will help prevent future problems.