Tape Drive Cleaning Frequency (AIT)

[Phil Stracchino]

On Fri, May 14, 2004 at 02:28:14PM -0400, Derek Featherston wrote:
> |[Jim Ray sez:] you clean 'em regularly if you want the device to work.
> 
> 
> Could some people chime in with their definitions of regularly?  My
> particular configuration uses AIT-3 media - and all AIT drives contain a
> built-in automatic head cleaner.  I'm currently using a cleaning tape once a
> month, but I've read recommendations that span from 1 week to 6 months.  Any
> thoughts?


AIT and VXA drives both, I believe, notify you when cleaning is
required.  I tend to clean my VXA1 about once every other month, and it
seems sufficient.  I have a monitor utility that tells me when the drive
thinks it needs cleaning, which is infrequently.


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