v Inspect the rear of the cartridge (the part that loads first into the tape loadcompartment) and ensure that there are no gaps in the seam of the cartridgecase. If there are gaps in the seam (see Figure 6-6), the leader pin may bedislodged.v Check that the leader pin is properly seated.v If you suspect that the cartridge has been mishandled but it appears usable,copy any data onto a good cartridge immediately for possible data recovery.Discard the mishandled cartridge.v Review handling and shipping procedures.Handle the Cartridge Carefullyv Do not drop the cartridge. If the cartridge drops, slide the cartridge door backand ensure that the leader pin is properly seated in the pin-retaining springclips.v Do not handle tape that is outside the cartridge. Handling the tape can damagethe tape’s surface or edges, which may interfere with read or write reliability.Pulling on tape that is outside the cartridge can damage the tape and the brakemechanism in the cartridge.v Do not stack more than six cartridges.v Do not degauss a cartridge that you intend to reuse. Degaussing makes the tapeunusable.Environmental and Shipping Specifications for Tape CartridgesBefore you use a tape cartridge, acclimate it to the operating environment for 24hours or the time necessary to prevent condensation in the drive (the time willvary, depending on the environmental extremes to which the cartridge wasexposed).Figure 6-6. Checking for gaps in the seams of a cartridge6-8 Dell PowerVault TL2000 Tape Library and TL4000 Tape Library User's Guide
