Perform a thorough inspection of LTO tape cartridges

Inspect LTO tape cartridges to ensure they are not damaged before using them with your LTO tape drives and tape library.

After purchasing a cartridge and before using it, perform the following steps:

1. Inspect the packaging to determine if the cartridge was handled roughly.
   Note: When inspecting a cartridge, open only the cartridge door. Do not open any other part of the cartridge case. The upper and lower parts of the case are held together with screws; separating them destroys the usefulness of the cartridge.
2. Inspect the cartridge for damage before using or storing it.
3. Inspect the rear of the cartridge (the part that you load first into the tape load compartment) and ensure that there are no gaps in the seam of the cartridge case. (Refer to  1  in Figure 1. If there are gaps in the seam, the leader pin may be dislodged and may need to be repositioned.)