XP Backup Utility "Required Media Missing"

[gghamer]

XP's "Backup Utility" is not recognizing tapes in my tape
drive. Can anyone suggest what I must do get "Backup
Utility" working?

Following are details and background.

I have a new Windows XP computer. XP's "Backup Utility"
sees my tape drive as a "Backup destination" but does not
see blank tapes when they are in the drive. My drive
vendor (Ecrix), has walked through diagnostics and their
test utilities successfully read, write and erase tapes in
the drive. This same tape drive (and tapes) work fine with
"Backup Utility" when connected to our Windows 2000 Server
machine.

When I run XP's Backup Utility, I select the button "Start
Backup", the window "Backup Progress" opens with status
"Mounting the media..." and then error window opens labeled
"Required Media Missing" "! There is no free media
available with the selected type. Add unused media or
click Cancel to end the operation. Note: It may take up to
60 seconds to recognize new media."

In XP's "Computer Management" I see the following in the
console tree:
Storage
-> Removable Storage
-> Libraries
-> ECRIX VXA-1 SCSI Sequential Device
When I select my Ecrix drive, the right-hand window
displays "There are no items to show in this view". When I
select Action -> Inject it ejects my tape which I then
reinsert the tape and select finish. Still, the right-hand
window displays "There are no items to show in this view".

 

[Paul]

Did you format the tape ?
Right click on the tape drive in the advanced window,
select format.

 

[gghamer]

No, I did not format the tape. I do not see an "advanced
window" in either "Backup Utility" or "Computer
Management". Could you please explain to me where I will
find the "advanced window".

Thank you very much for your assistance. g

 

[Paul]

When you run backup, it runs the wizard. There should be
an advanced button on the first page.
If you are already in the backup utility screen then
you should be able to right click on the tape device
under the "restore tab"

 

[gghamer]

Paul,

Thank you. Regrettably, I am still stuck.

I am not getting a format option when I follow the steps
you laid out.

I uploaded screen shots of the "Backup Utility's"
tabs "Restore and Manage Media" (see http://

65.101.35.90/ghamer/temp/Backup.jpg) and "Backup"
(http://65.101.35.90/ghamer/temp/Restore.jpg)

Under the tab "Restore and Manage Media", when I right-
click on the tape device (Ecrix VXA-1), no menu opens.
Also, on the "Tools" menu, the "MediaTools" option is
grayed out. Could you check your configuration to see if
the format option appears under "MediaTools" too?

I certainly appreciate any other suggestions that you may
have.

Thanks again ... g