There are statistics kept for each tape ever saved on your AS/400. Below are the steps to see what the errors are, so that you will know when a particular tape might be “going bad”. The system service tools are used, and a userid and password are needed to access this function. It is NOT the same QSECOFR password that is used when you sign on to a NORMAL AS400 session. If the password is not known, please call the App-Garden or SAS.
Steps for checking the tape media statistics:
The above example shows that tape volume W2FUPD has a substantial amount of write errors. Function key at the bottom will allow a printed report, shown below:
Notice the >> symbol at the bottom of the report – the system will indicate when a volume needs to be replaced.
There is another way to get most of the same information – from an iSeries command line, type GO SERVICE
Choose option 7, reports
Choose option 1, Media analysis
Pressing F11 on the screen will show different information. The TWE column means “temporary write errors”. The higher that number, the more errors have happened with that particular tape. This particular way of reporting on the media statistics will NOT show when a volume needs to be replaced.
Press F11 several times to see different screen views of your tape inventory.
The above report also shows all of the volumes that have been used, so if you know you have 25 tapes that you use, and this report only shows 10, then 15 tapes have been initialized with the same name.