If you are trying to read or restore data from a tape cartridge and the process fails, use the following steps:

Your Ditto® drive can only read from and write to specific tape cartridges. If you are not using the correct tape cartridge for your Ditto drive, the backup software will not be able to read to or write from the tape cartridge. To determine which tape cartridges are compatible with your Ditto drive, please refer to the user's guide that came with your Ditto drive.

If you are using the correct tape cartridge and your drive still will not read data, continue with the next step.

You should retension the tape cartridge before reading or writing it. To retension the tape cartridge, use the following steps:

1. Click Start, point to Programs, Iomega Backup, then choose The Works.
   
   
2. From within The Works, choose Retension from the Tools menu.
   
   

If retensioning the tape cartridge does not allow you to read data from it, continue troubleshooting with the next step.

If you are using a Ditto 2GB or 3200 tape drive, the floppy disk controller must be 1Mbps. To determine if the floppy disk controller is able to support the Ditto 2GB or 3200 tape drive, Iomega® has developed a utility that will indicate the speed of the floppy disk controller. It is called IODETECT.EXE. This utility can be downloaded from http://www.iomega.com/software/ Once this file has been downloaded, execute the program from the DOS prompt. IODETECT will indicate if the floppy disk controller will support the Ditto 2GB or 3200 tape drives.

If you are unable to obtain the IODETECT utility, the speed of the floppy disk controller cannot be determined by looking at the card. To determine the speed of your controller card, refer to the documentation that came with your computer.

If you are using the Ditto Max tape drive, you must use the Ditto® Dash™ DX card included with your drive.

If IODETECT indicates the floppy disk controller is not fast enough for your Ditto 2GB or 3200 tape drive, you will need to upgrade your floppy disk controller or obtain a Ditto Dash Accelerator card.

If IODETECT indicates the floppy disk controller will support your Ditto 2GB or 3200 tape drive, continue with the next step.

Note: Iomega recommends using the Ditto Dash Accelerator card with the Ditto 2GB and 3200 tape drives.

The Ditto drive should be cleaned after every 25 hours of use. Clean the Ditto drive with either a tape cleaning kit or 99% isopropyl alcohol and foam swab. Do not use a cotton swab or alcohol that contains lanolin or other oils.


What if I am using a tape cleaning kit?


To clean the Ditto drive with a tape cleaning kit, follow the instructions included with the cleaning kit.


What if I am using a swab?


To clean the 700, 850, 1700, 2GB or 3200 tape drives with a foam swab and isopropyl alcohol, gently open the drive door to expose the read/write head. With a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on the foam swab, wipe the read/write head in an up and down motion, as in the illustration.





To clean the Ditto 250, 420, 510, or 800 tape drives with a foam swab and isopropyl alcohol, gently open the drive door to expose the read/write head. With a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on the foam swab, wipe across the read/write head as in the illustration.




What if I am using the Ditto Max?


To clean the Ditto Max, we recommend using a tape cleaning kit. The Ditto Max Professional includes a tape cleaning kit.

Warning: Attempting to clean the tape drive head with a foam swab may leave debris or even damage your tape drive.

If cleaning the tape drive head does not allow data to be read from the tape cartridge, continue with the next step.

1. Click Start, point to Programs, Iomega Backup, then choose The Works.
   
   
2. From within The Works, choose Configuration from the Utilities menu.
   
   
3. Within the Configuration screen, highlight the drive you are backing up, then click Settings.
   
   
4. From within the Tape drive settings screen, change the Transfer rate to match the transfer rate of the controller card your tape drive is connected to. Use the following to determine which transfer rate to use:
   
   
   1. If your tape drive is connected to the floppy disk controller, set the transfer rate to 1Mbps.
      
      
   2. If your tape drive is connected to a Ditto Dash card, set the transfer rate to 2Mbps.
      
      
   3. If your tape drive is connected to the Ditto Dash DX or DXJ card, set the transfer rate to AUTO.
      
      
5. Select OK.
   
   
6. Select OK.
   
   

   If changing the transfer rate does not allow you to read data from the tape cartridge, continue with the next step.

Try a different tape cartridge. If the problem does not reoccur with a different tape cartridge, you have two options:

1. Reformat the tape cartridge if you have a drive with that functionality.
   
   

   Warning: Reformatting the tape cartridge will remove all data from the cartridge.

   The Ditto 2GB and Ditto Max tape drives will not allow you to format tapes. To format using any other tape drive, use the following steps:

   1. Click Start, point to Programs, Iomega Backup, then choose The Works.
      
      
   2. From within The Works, choose Format from the Tools menu. If the Format option is grayed-out, this feature is not available for you tape drive.
      
      
2. Get the first tape replaced through your dealer or visit our returns and warranty page at http://www.iomega.com/support/returns/index.html
   
   

   If the data cannot be read from a different tape cartridge, contact the Ioemga Returns and Warranty group at http://www.iomega.com/support/returns/index.html to have your drive and tape cartridges replaced.