How to change the active partition using SetTapePosition function ?

Sher Pal 0

i am using SetTapePosition function to change the active partition of a LTO tape drive but unable to do so it compiled without any error but didn't change the partition as well, On the other hand i and able to set the dwOffsetLow and it is working completely fine but the partition is not changing.

DWORD errorCode = 0;

DWORD PARTITION = 1;

errorCode = SetTapePosition(pApp.m_handleValue,TAPE_LOGICAL_BLOCK,PARTITION,20,0,FALSE);

if (errorCode != NO_ERROR) {

DWORD err = GetLastError();

}

and this function as well

DWORD bytesReturned;

TAPE_SET_POSITION tapePosition{};

tapePosition.Method = TAPE_LOGICAL_POSITION;

tapePosition.Partition = partition;

tapePosition.Offset.LowPart = 0;

tapePosition.Offset.HighPart = 0;

tapePosition.Immediate = FALSE;

if (!DeviceIoControl(hTape, IOCTL_TAPE_SET_POSITION, &tapePosition, sizeof(tapePosition), NULL, 0, &bytesReturned, NULL)) {

return GetLastError();

}

both of them are only able to set the offsetlowPart but unable to change the partition.

kindly let me know how to resolve this issue.

and i have already included the header files

Viorel 118.2K Reputation points

2024-07-10T14:04:34.8633333+00:00

How did you determine that the partition was not changed?
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-11T02:21:08.78+00:00

with the help of this GetTapePosition

void getTapePosition(HANDLE hTape) {

TAPE_GET_POSITION tapeGetPosition;

DWORD bytesReturned;

if (!DeviceIoControl(hTape, IOCTL_TAPE_GET_POSITION, NULL, 0, &tapeGetPosition, sizeof(tapeGetPosition), &bytesReturned, NULL)) {

DWORD error = GetLastError();

std::wcerr << L"Failed to get tape position. Error: " << error << std::endl;

printError(error);

throw std::runtime_error("Failed to get tape position.");

}

std::wcout << L"Current Partition: " << tapeGetPosition.Partition << std::endl;

std::wcout << L"Current Logical Block: " << tapeGetPosition.Offset.LowPart << std::endl;

}

and i have stored some data in second partition with the help of a tool i.e. ITDT so when i am running setTapePosition it shows me no data present that means partition hasn't changed
Jeanine Zhang-MSFT 9,866 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-07-11T06:08:59.0766667+00:00

According to your description, you have stored some data in second partition. You should set PARTITION to 2 instead of 1.

If dwPartition is zero, the current partition is used. Partitions are numbered logically from 1 through n, where 1 is the first partition on the tape and n is the last.
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-11T06:32:58.3633333+00:00

I have tried to do that as well by setting partition 2 but the result is same it is not switching partition. It simply compiles the program without any error code and doesn't change anything
Jeanine Zhang-MSFT 9,866 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-07-11T07:24:12.9933333+00:00

Refer to the thread: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/59003818/change-active-partition-of-lto-tape

Whether have you tried to use another device driver?
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-11T07:32:55.4266667+00:00

Just tried that nothing happend?

can you try this code on your end and check it out even this is working or not!
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-15T08:38:14.4066667+00:00

Any other details or anything you want me to check because i haven't found a solution yet?
Viorel 118.2K Reputation points

2024-07-15T09:41:54.21+00:00
Maybe you can conduct investigations using more functions and a clean tape:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/backup/tape-initialization
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-16T05:42:39.7333333+00:00

i have tried that as well but the thing is the on the same configuration on the same tape on the same os ITDT can able to change the active partition so the question here is why this is not changing it then?
Jeanine Zhang-MSFT 9,866 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-07-17T02:55:29.2366667+00:00

As this issue is complex, to resolve this issue as soon as possible, you can open an incident via Contact us tab at link below: https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/support/

Please choose the Technical Support - Coding/Debugging for Windows SDK for this issue. In-addition, if the support engineer determines that the issue is the result of a bug the service request will be a no-charge case and you won't be charged.
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-18T02:15:09.2033333+00:00

just tried it that was too hectic so many choices and nothing leads to an end i have just found out if i am trying to check the maximum partition it is also showing 0 but the tape is definitely partitioned, then why it is showing 0

Sher Pal 0

I have just found out if i am trying to check the number of partition it is also showing 0 but the tape is definitely partitioned, then why it is showing 0

Here is the code snippet which i have used to check the partitions

This code as well executed without throwing any compile or run time error and showed 0

DWORD getTapePartitions(HANDLE hTape) {
    TAPE_GET_MEDIA_PARAMETERS mediaParams = { 0 };
    DWORD bytesReturned;

    if (!DeviceIoControl(hTape, IOCTL_TAPE_GET_MEDIA_PARAMS, NULL, 0, &mediaParams, sizeof(mediaParams), &bytesReturned, NULL)) {
        DWORD error = GetLastError();
        printErrorMessage(error);
        throw std::runtime_error("Error getting tape media parameters.");
    }
    else {
        std::cout << "Partition Count: " << mediaParams.PartitionCount << std::endl;
        return mediaParams.PartitionCount;
    }
}

Viorel 118.2K Reputation points

2024-07-18T08:00:22.04+00:00

Did you check if PrepareType(hType, TYPE_LOAD, FALSE) must be called too?
Sher Pal 0 Reputation points

2024-07-18T08:08:51.67+00:00

Yes it is being called!!

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How to change the active partition using SetTapePosition function ?

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