Upgrading the Tx800 Series Magazine Tape Subsystem

This document, "Upgrading the TX800 Series Magazine Tape Subsystem" (EK-TF857-UP-002), published by Digital Equipment Corporation's Educational Services, serves as a technical guide primarily for Digital Services field engineers.

Its main purpose is to provide detailed instructions for upgrading two specific Digital tape subsystem models:

• The TF837 magazine tape subsystem to a TF857 magazine tape subsystem.
• The TZ857 magazine tape subsystem to a TZ867 magazine tape subsystem.

The guide covers:

• Field Replaceable Units (FRUs): Identifies the specific tape drives (e.g., TK71 to TK85, TK85 to TK86) and controller modules (e.g., TFK70 DSSI to new DSSI, SCSI to new SCSI) required for each upgrade path.
• Upgrade Guidelines: Emphasizes critical precautions, such as ensuring no tape is in the drive, dismounting the device, avoiding external cable disconnections while the system is running, saving hardware, and observing electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions.
• Controller Module Replacement: Details a "warm swap procedure" that allows the controller module to be removed and replaced without powering down the host system, emphasizing the need to collect and record original module parameters for stability.
• Tape Drive Replacement: Provides steps for physically removing old tape drives and installing new ones.
• Upgrade Verification: Outlines steps to confirm the successful operation of the upgraded subsystem.