Article 129227 of comp.os.vms: Path: nntpd.lkg.dec.com!crl.dec.com!pa.dec.com!decuac.dec.com!haven.umd.edu!purdue!lerc.nasa.gov!news.larc.nasa.gov!news.msfc.nasa.gov!newsfeed.internetmci.com!howland.reston.ans.net!swrinde!sdd.hp.com!hp-pcd!hp-cv!reuter.cse.ogi.edu!netnews1.nwnet.net!news.u.washington.edu!seymour From: seymour@u.washington.edu (Richard Seymour) Newsgroups: comp.os.vms Subject: Re: Need help on Exabyte 8500 (8mm) drive Date: 13 Sep 1995 18:24:12 GMT Organization: University of Washington, Seattle Lines: 43 Message-ID: <4377kc$fjp@nntp5.u.washington.edu> References: <43517r$c66@news.tamu.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: saul6.u.washington.edu NNTP-Posting-User: seymour In article <43517r$c66@news.tamu.edu>, wrote: >(connected via CMD's CQD423 controller). I accidentally insert a used >VMS tape into the Unix' 8500. I could not get it our nor anything. It >is stuck in the 8500 forever. I shutdown/reboot the system, power cycle > Is there any way I can get the tape out of the 8500 ? First: try leaning on the "eject" (actually it's reset) button for a -long- time. something like 30 seconds. Sometimes that works ("depends upon firmware rev level") WARNING: The following procedure CAN DESTROY TAPES. Use only as a last resort. Well, without actually LOOKING at the drive, here's how to get a tape out: take the external box cover off (assuming it's an external drive) The inner casing of the 8500 has a window on the top. With a flashlight peer thru that towards the rear of the drive. You should be able to catch a glimpse of the head drum. IS THE TAPE STILL WRAPPED AROUND IT? If "yes" you have more of a problem... it's possible your drive's 12 volt circuitry is bad (there's an SCR on the exabyte's base card which can die, producing exactly these symptoms). If this is the case, you've got to find Torx screwdrivers to open the inner casing and gently unthread the tape from the drum before doing the "no" step below. Good luck. If "no", then it's easy. On the left-when-facing-front-of-drive side plate, near the front door, there's a little box (usually white) which contains the door spring mechanism. Just below and behind that, accessible thru the square hole in the side plate, is a small white plastic finger. (there's a spring-metal set of contacts leaning on it). Push that forward (towards the front of the drive) about 2mm. The door will open and the tape will eject. NOTE:::: If the tape is still wrapped around the heads, or other than stretched across the front of the cassette, it WILL GET (slightly) MANGLED by the cassette's flip-down door. THIS WILL (most likely) RENDER IT UNREADABLE. --dick (the above procedure is for 8200 and 8500 drives. Full Height)