Tape Drive Not Detected
Updated July 17, 2026
Tape Drive Not Detected
You added a Tape (LTO) destination, clicked Save & test, and got this:
"No tape drive detected. Turn on the virtual tape drive (or connect an LTO drive)."
Hiberden distinguishes several tape states (no cartridge loaded, cartridge needs formatting or mounting, LTFS service stopped), so "no drive detected" means exactly that: Hiberden cannot see a tape drive at all. Work through this checklist from the top. If you saw a different tape error instead, such as "Tape drive check failed", steps 2 and 3 cover the usual causes: LTFS is missing, or its Windows service is stopped.
1. Did you mean to use the virtual drive?
If you are evaluating Hiberden without tape hardware, you do not need a physical drive at all. Turn on the built-in virtual drive: Settings > Tape > "Use a virtual tape drive". The toggle takes effect the next time Hiberden starts, so restart the app after switching it on, then run Save & test again.
The virtual drive is self-contained and needs no vendor software. It exists for evaluation: it lets you exercise the whole tape workflow (write, span, verify, restore) with no hardware attached, but a virtual-tape copy is not protected storage. See Virtual tape drive.
2. Is IBM LTFS installed?
A real LTO drive requires vendor LTFS software. On Windows, Hiberden works with IBM's LTFS (Single Drive Edition). LTFS is IBM software, not part of Hiberden: installing Hiberden does not install it for you.
Hiberden auto-detects LTFS in its standard install locations. If you installed it somewhere unusual, point Hiberden at it under Settings > Tape, where you can set a custom path.
The virtual drive does not need LTFS. Only real hardware does.
3. Is the LTFS Windows service running?
An installed LTFS whose Windows service is stopped is a distinct state, and Hiberden detects it separately from a missing drive. When that is the case, the app shows the stopped-service state and offers a one-click "Start service" button. Fresh LTFS installs often need this (a service start, or a reboot) before the drive appears.
If clicking "Start service" resolves it, run Save & test on the destination again. You want the "● Connected" badge.
4. Is the drive actually on the bus?
If LTFS is installed and its service is running but Hiberden still sees no drive, the problem is usually physical. Check, in order:
- Cabling: the cable between the drive and your HBA is seated at both ends.
- HBA: the host bus adapter is installed and Windows recognizes it.
- Power: the drive is powered on. External drives need to be on before Windows can enumerate them.
If Windows cannot see the drive, Hiberden cannot either.
Still stuck? Send a support bundle
If the drive still does not show, export a support bundle: Settings > General > Support bundle > Export. The bundle captures the tape drive and LTFS status Hiberden sees, along with your tape inventory, which is exactly what support needs to diagnose detection problems. Nothing is uploaded automatically; you get one .zip to email to support@hiberden.app. See Export a support bundle.