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Maintaining the Tape Library › Problem Analysis › Why Tapes Do Not Get Scratched

Why Tapes Do Not Get Scratched

If you want to scratch a tape using TMSCLEAN, meet all of the following conditions:

  1. Execute TMSCLEAN with the SCRATCHLIST parameter and without the TEST parameter.
  2. The expiration date in the TMC must be less than or equal to the system date on which TMSCLEAN is executed.
  3. The X'01' bit indicating expired by an External Data Manager in FLAG2 is turned on if the controlled by EDM bit (X'20') or the controlled by CA Dynam/T bit (X'10') is on in FLAG3.
  4. The OUTCODE is set to hex zeros, (blank)VMS ( VMS) or blanks.

When the above conditions are met but a volume fails to be scratched, execute the TMSBINQ program with the DUMP option. You get a hexadecimal image of the volume record in question.

Often the problem is the OUTCODE containing decimal, and not hexadecimal, zeros (X'F0F0F0F0' as opposed to X'00000000'). An online CHECKIN command or a batch update with TMSUPDTE (specify OUTCODE=HEXZEROS in the control statement) resets the OUTCODE and allow TMSCLEAN to scratch the tape with its next execution.