Advice to restore old backup tapes?

[spirit]

The 10 year old backup tapes seem to run into a lot of "media defective/heads may be dirty" messages and won't restore. They seem to get worse with each attempt.
Is there a way to make sure the tape drive is working optimally and not shedding unneccesary oxide because of getting dirt in the tape path, poor tension or something misaligned in the tape path?
Does anybody know an alternative source for exabyte 2501 machines (to restore XL3000 cartridge tapes)?
(These used to be sold at staples etc. as Travan drives, though there were various Travan formats).
Or a service that specialized in recovering data from old backup tapes?
Where to get a cleaning tape?
Or how to manually clean the tape path if there are no tapes available?

[Todzilla]

In the analog tape world, folks have been known to "bake" tapes in a warm overn (170 degrees Farenheit or so) for several days. I'm told this rebinds the magnetic material to the mylar.

I would only go this route for backup tape as an absolute last resort, as you can imagine the potential for disaster.

[pcm]

Whoa!

Bake it at 140 degrees for between 4 and 8 hours, longer for denser tape (2" for example). To do this you need a special oven, not of the household type, as they can't maintain a temp that low for those kind of periods. A food dehydrator will work. And it's perfectly safe, provided you know what you are doing, of course.

That said, you must first ascertain where the problem really is. Will the drive play another tape properly? If so, suspect the tape, if not, suspect the drive. If the drive, rent another. It would be hard if not impossible to find someone to repair it, the usual course is to swap the mechanism.

Good luck....

[Timeline]

Whoa!

Bake it at 140 degrees for between 4 and 8 hours, longer for denser tape (2" for example). To do this you need a special oven, not of the household type, as they can't maintain a temp that low for those kind of periods. A food dehydrator will work. And it's perfectly safe, provided you know what you are doing, of course.

That said, you must first ascertain where the problem really is. Will the drive play another tape properly? If so, suspect the tape, if not, suspect the drive. If the drive, rent another. It would be hard if not impossible to find someone to repair it, the usual course is to swap the mechanism.

Good luck....

This is a cartridge and not 2" tape as i understand. Cooking the tapes is correct method but that temp will likely destroy the tape and warp the cartridge.

Use Max temp 130 degrees. Use a temp probe into a multimeter and keep the convection oven very close to this temp 12 hours and then give it a go.


Good luck

[Timeline]

One other thing. You might have to remove the drive and clean the head manually several times. Use denatured alcohol and digital head approved q tips.

[jonotronic]

If you want a tape baked, you should contact FX copyroom in London, who have specialised ovens for the task and can salvage some real poor remains
http://www.fxgroup.net/copyroombody.htm