[HP SURESTORE DAT USER'S GUIDE]
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[?]Frequently Asked Questions

For further troubleshooting information, refer also to our Customer Support web site: http://www.hp.com/support/dds_troubleshooting

How often should I clean the tape drive heads? It depends on what model tape drive you have and how many backup cartridges you use per day. Refer to Cleaning the Tape Heads for details. You should also clean the heads if the Media Caution signal is displayed. Use only HP cleaning cartridges to clean the heads.
What should I avoid when positioning the tape drive? Do not place the drive in a dirty environment, for example, on the floor, near a busy walkway, or near a door. Avoid locations subject to sudden temperature changes, such as near an outside door or window. For specific environmental limits, refer to the specifications for your tape drive model.
How many times can I use a DDS cartridge? The recommended maximum number of passes over any single part of the tape is 2000. In practical terms, this is equivalent to about 100 backup operations.
What types of tape cartridges can I use with my drive? Use only DDS-1 60m or 90m tapes with the HP SureStore Tape 5000. Use DDS-2 (120m) tapes with the HP SureStore DAT8. The HP SureStore DAT24 works best with DDS-3 (125m) tapes, but it can also use DDS-2 tapes. The HP SureStore DAT40 works best with DDS-4 (150m) tapes, but it can also use DDS-3 and DDS-2 tapes. See Choosing Cartridges for more information.
For how long can I archive tapes? Tests have shown that DDS cartridges will preserve the integrity of stored data for at least thirty years if proper storage conditions are observed. See Storing Cartridges.
How many tapes do I need? This depends on how much data you back up and how often you back up. See Backup Strategies for more information.
Can I use my cartridges with future HP DDS-format products? Hewlett-Packard DDS-format products are designed to be backward compatible, so they will be able to read data previously recorded on earlier DDS formats.
Can I do more than one backup to a cartridge? Yes, if your backup software allows it. Consult the user documentation that came with your backup software for instructions.

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