Thanks Rick, I'm not sure what they use to clean the tape drive, but my
guess is the HP tape head cleaning fluid (alcohol?).

John


At 9/16/98 12:38 AM , Rick Gilligan wrote:
>In article <[log in to unmask]>,
>John Korb  <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>Oh how I hate being on night calls...
>>
>>
>>They have two systems, one classic, one iX.  The classic normally has an HP
>>7974 tape drive on it, and the iX has an HPIB 7980 tape drive on it.
>>
>>They turned off the tape drive and unwrapped the tape from the capstan, and
>>discovered that the coating that is on the capstan (which is normally like
>>a soft rubber) was sticky and gooey like an adhesive.  In the process of
>>removing the tape from the capstan, most of the coating on the capstan came
>>off on the tape.
>>
>>Question 1.  Has anyone heard of the coating on the capstan turning sticky
>>and gooey and coming off onto a tape?
>
>We had ours replaced a couple of times, as soon as it started getting
>"sticky".  You can usually hear it when the tape stops streaming and
>reverses direction and produces an "odd noise".
>
>What are they using to clean the capstan with?  We used a very, very
>clean, stiff toothbrush and had much better life out of the capstans after
>we switched from the tape head cleaner (clean only as often as necessary),
>
>I was glad to get rid of the 7974.  Although the next system had the first
>generation DDS-1 drives.  About as reliable as the 7974.  The subsequent
>generations were much better.
>
>Sorry I don't have access to a CE handbook for your config question on the
>7980.
>
>--
>Rick Gilligan
>Senior Software Specialist
>Computer And Software Enterprises, Inc.
>E-mail: [log in to unmask]
>

--------------------------------------------------------------
John Korb                            email: [log in to unmask]
Innovative Software Solutions, Inc.

The thoughts, comments, and opinions expressed herein are mine
and do not reflect those of my employer(s), or anyone else.