Troubleshooting Guide: Error 1107 – Tape Partition Information Could Not Be Found

Why This Error Happens

Error 1107 typically occurs when the Windows tape backup driver cannot read the partition table on the tape media, often because the tape itself is blank, damaged, or was formatted using a different backup application or partitioning scheme. This can also happen if the tape drive firmware is outdated or if the Removable Storage Manager (RSM) service has a corrupted device database that no longer matches the physical hardware. Additionally, a loose SCSI/SAS/USB connection or an outdated tape drive driver can prevent the system from correctly negotiating with the drive to read partition metadata.

Step-by-Step Resolution Guide

1. Verify the tape media itself
   Insert a known-good, pre-formatted tape (ideally one previously used successfully on this drive) to determine if the issue is media-specific rather than hardware/driver-related.

2. Reseat and check physical connections
   Power down the system, disconnect and reconnect the SCSI/SAS/USB cable connecting the tape drive, and ensure the drive is receiving stable power. Loose connections are a common cause of partition read failures.

3. Update the tape drive driver

• Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).
• Expand Tape drives, right-click your device, and select Update driver.
• Choose Search automatically for drivers, or manually download the latest driver from the manufacturer’s website (e.g., HPE, Dell, Quantum) and install it.

1. Reset the Removable Storage Manager (RSM) database

• Open Services (services.msc) and stop the Removable Storage Manager service.
• Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Ntmsdata and rename the folder to Ntmsdata_old (backup).
• Restart the Removable Storage Manager service to regenerate a clean database.

1. Reformat the tape (if data is not critical)
   Use Windows Server Backup (or your third-party backup tool) to perform a full low-level format on the tape, rewriting the partition table from scratch. This resolves cases where a previous format was interrupted or corrupted.

Alternative or Verification Steps

• After applying fixes, run a test Load/Read operation via Device Manager’s tape drive properties or your backup software’s device diagnostics tool to confirm the drive can now detect valid partition information.
• If the error persists across multiple tapes, run the manufacturer’s hardware diagnostic utility (e.g., HP Library and Tape Tools) to rule out a failing tape drive mechanism rather than a software/driver issue.