README: 4GB 4mm Microcode


Table of Contents

README: 4GB 4mm Microcode

  • Version: 4Co0, 5ALL, and 6640
  • Date: June 19, 2003
  • General information
  • Current levels of microcode
  • Operating System levels supported:
  • Installation Time:
  • Can microcode be installed Concurrently?
  • Is system reboot needed to activate the microcode
  • Additional Cautions
  • Machines Affected:
  • Microcode History
  • Determine the microcode level in the drive
  • How to do a microcode update:
  • Determine the level of microcode in the drive
  • Putting the microcode on the system
  • From the IBM WEB site via the user downloading the files.
  • From a CD-ROM.
  • Packaged Microcode Files
  • Notice
  • Verify the microcode:
  • Installing the microcode:
  • Install microcode using AIX Diagnostics.
  • Install microcode using ATAPE and AIX Diagnostics

  • README: 4GB 4mm Microcode

    Version: 4Co0, 5ALL, and 6640

    Date: June 19, 2003


    General information

    ******* Please read this entire notice *********

    This package is being provided to allow the update of older 4GB 4mm Tape Drives to the latest level of microcode that is currently shipping from IBM.

    Users are encouraged to install the latest microcode level themselves. The microcode and instructions are available at the IBM external web site:
    http://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/mdownload/download.html

    Microcode in this package is for the following IBM 4mm tape drives:

    Note: Do not do a microcode update on internal IBM 4GB 4mm tape drives installed in the IBM 7013 models J40 or J50 that have a tape drive microcode level of 4... or a 5... level below 5ALB. Tape Drive microcode levels of 4... and tape drive microcode levels of 5... up to 5ALB report completion of the microcode download prior to the actual completion. On the IBM 7013 models J40 and J50 the system will power the drive off when the drive reports completion which may cause damage to the tape drives. If you have an IBM 7013 model J40 or J50 you should consult your service personnel prior to doing a microcode update on the internal IBM 4GB 4mm tape drives in these systems.

    Note: The microcode for the 7248-100/120/133 40P & 43P systems is not included in this package. The microcode for these systems is different and the download requires another program that currently cannot be made available via the web.

    Note: 5AL0 or higher microcode will turn on the Cleaning LED when the tape drive goes 30 tape motion hours without being cleaned. This is in addition to the current method of turning on the LED for excessive recovered errors.


    Current levels of microcode

    The microcode upgrade will bring the IBM 4GB 4mm tape drive up to the current level which is:


    Operating System levels supported:

    All levels of AIX that this product was announced on.


    Installation Time:

    The typical time to install this microcode is .3 hrs.
    The microcode becomes active when installed and does not require a system reboot to become active.


    Can microcode be installed Concurrently?

    Yes, but the tape drive must be available with no tape in the drive, and no other processing running to the tape drive.


    Is system reboot needed to activate the microcode

    A reboot is not needed as the microcode is active in the drive when the drive completes microcode download. But to have the Vital Product Data show the new level you must use the AIX rmdev and mkdev commands.


    Additional Cautions

    Do not power off the tape drive during microcode download as this may damage the tape drive microcode requiring the tape drive to be replaced.

    Remove any tape cartridge from the drive prior to attempting the microcode download.


    Machines Affected:

    All pSeries and RS/6000 machines this product was announce on. In general if the tape drive configures and is available with the VPD showing the Machine Type and microcode level as described in this README the machine is one affected.


    Microcode History

    There are three generations of the 4GB 4mm Tape Drive:


    The microcode is specific to each generation of the tape drive and the specific microcode for that generation of the tape drive must be used with only that generation of the drive. If you attempt to load the microcode for one generation into a drive of a different generation the microcode will be rejected by the drive and no change will take place and no damage will be done other than waste your time and the users time. The drive will put on the flashing amber LED to indicate the microcode was rejected. To clear the flashing amber the drive will need to be reset, the normal way to do this is to power the drive off then on.  
    Be sure to use the appropriate microcode for the appropriate drive.

    Note: There is a separate section for the 7248-100/120/133 40P & 43P systems.
    The microcode for these systems is different and the download requires another package from CORE called UMCODE(Microcode download tool for 43P systems).

    The 4Co0 microcode is for use in the following IBM 4GB 4mm tape drives ONLY:


    Table 1. 4Co0 History
    Tape Drive P/N Tape Drive FRU P/N Microcode Level What does this microcode change

    16G8451 16G8453 4AC First Microcode level shipped.

    87G1479 87G1480 4AP Fixes decompression error

    87G4925 87G4926 4BK Support for new EE-ROM

    87G4925 21H5172 4BKA Fix Cleaning required indication

    87G4925 21H5172 4BKC Fix Cleaning required indication

    87G4925 21H5172 4Co0 Fix error attempting to write to unsupported media(DDS3 tapes)

    The 5ALL microcode is for use in the following IBM 4GB 4mm tape drives ONLY:


    Table 2. 5ALL History
    Tape Drive P/N Tape Drive FRU P/N Microcode Level What does this microcode change

    21H5154 21H5172 5620 First Microcode level shipped.

    21H5154 21H5172 562B Fix power on selftest(POST) failure

    21H5154 59H3481 5ALo Set cleaning required at 30 hours

    21H5154 59H3481 5ALG Fix errors in filemark and space command processing.

    21H5154 59H3481 5ALL Flush all data after write File Mark command.

    The 6640 microcode is for use in the following IBM 4GB 4mm tape drives ONLY:


    Table 3. 6640 History
    Tape Drive P/N Tape Drive FRU P/N Microcode Level What does this microcode change

    59H3468 59H3481 6560 First Microcode level shipped.

    59H3468 59H3481 6640 Fix time out process of 45 seconds

    Determine the microcode level in the drive


    To determine if your machine(s) has one of these level tape drives, type the command on an AIX prompt:
    lscfg -vl rmt* | pg
    The Device Specific.(Z1) field is the current microcode level in the drive.
      rmt0              00-04-00-2,0      4.0 GB 4mm Tape Drive
     
            Manufacturer................ARCHIVE
            Machine Type and Model......IBM4326NP/RP  !D
            Device Specific.(Z1)........4AC, or 4... or 5620 or 5....
    


    How to do a microcode update:

    The instructions included in this package will allow you to make this update. The process is simple and requires no tools.

    Note: In some cases you may already have this microcode update already installed. Instructions in the package will show you how to check your system to see if it requires the updated microcode to be installed. This can be checked by doing the AIX command listed in the instructions or doing the same command listed later in this "README".

    There are three generations of the 4GB 4mm Tape Drive.

    You cannot install
    4xxx code into a generation 2 drive and you cannot install
    5xxx code into a generation 1 drive etc..
    If you attempt to do this the microcode will be rejected by the drive and no change will take place and no damage will be done.

    However:

    If you attempt to download the wrong microcode to the drive the drive will put on the flashing Amber LED to indicate an error. It will be necessary to power cycle the drive to clear this error.

    Note: Be sure to use the appropriate microcode for the corresponding drive.


    Determine the level of microcode in the drive

    To determine the level of microcode in your 4mm tape drive, type the command on an AIX prompt:
    lscfg -vl rmt* | pg

    The response to this will be:

               Machine type and model ...... IBM4326NP....
               Device Specific(Z1) ......... 4AC, or 4... or 5620 or 5....
    


    Putting the microcode on the system

    There are 2 ways a user can get the microcode files. Each of these will put the microcode on the user's system but the user will have to move the files to appropriate directory for system use.

    From the IBM WEB site via the user downloading the files.

    When the user downloads the microcode files from the IBM web site the packaged microcode files will be put into the /tmp directory.

    From a CD-ROM.

    Note: AIX commands and file names are case sensitive.
    If the users AIX permission does not allow the copy to the above stated directory or file then the user will be prompted for a new location.


    Packaged Microcode Files


    Notice

    Verify the microcode:


    Installing the microcode:

    Change directory to the /tmp/4mm_tape directory where you downloaded the microcode to from the Web using the AIX command
    cd /tmp/4mm_tape


    Install microcode using AIX Diagnostics.


    Install microcode using ATAPE and AIX Diagnostics

    This process is only for the 7332-005.


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