Use the Full Write function to write incompressible data across the entire tape and verify end-to-end media and drive health, then submit the results directly to Symply Support without leaving the app.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview

When Symply Support asks you to run a Full Write, they need a complete end-to-end media integrity test across the entire tape. Unlike Run Test, which performs a multi-step drive diagnostics sequence, Full Write focuses specifically on the physical tape media - writing incompressible data from the very beginning of the tape to the very end, verifying that every section of the tape surface can reliably hold data.

Full Write is a lengthy operation. Depending on the capacity and generation of your LTO tape, it can take several hours to complete - for example, an LTO-8 cartridge may take eight hours or more. Plan accordingly and ensure the computer, drive, and tape will remain undisturbed for the full duration.

When finished, SymplyATOM2 saves a results file that can be uploaded directly to a new or existing support ticket in a single step.

All data on the tape will be permanently erasedFull Write overwrites the entire tape with incompressible test data. Any existing content - including LTFS-formatted data - will be destroyed before the test begins. Only use a tape you are prepared to erase, or a blank scratch tape supplied by Symply Support.

Step 1 - Select your drive and load a tape

1
Click the drive you want to test in the Drives panel on the left. The drive’s details will appear in the main area.
2
If a tape is not already loaded, insert a tape cartridge and click Load Tape in the Tape section. The status bar at the top of the main area must show Tape Present before Full Write will be available.
SymplyATOM2 main window showing Drive1 selected with the Tests section visible, including Full Write
Drive1 is selected and the Tests section is visible. Run Test, Host Validation, and Full Write are listed with their approximate durations. Scroll down to see the Full Write button.

Step 2 - Open Full Write and review the warning

Scroll down to the Tests section and click Full Write. A confirmation sheet will appear showing the drive details and a clear warning that all data on the tape will be permanently overwritten.

Full Write confirmation dialog showing drive details and data erasure warning with acknowledgement checkbox unchecked
The Full Write sheet shows the drive model, serial number, firmware, and current tape status. The red warning must be read before the acknowledgement checkbox can be ticked. The Start Full Write button remains disabled until you confirm.

Take note of the following information shown in the sheet:

  • Drive - confirms the drive model, serial number, and firmware version the test will run against.
  • Status: Tape Present - confirms a tape is loaded and ready.
  • Test Duration - Full Write writes across the entire tape and will take several hours to complete. The exact time depends on the tape generation and capacity. Do not eject the tape or quit the app while the test is running.
  • This tape is LTFS-formatted (partitioned) - if shown with an Auto-detected badge, the tape contains an LTFS partition that will be removed before testing begins. A second confirmation will appear in the next step.

Step 3 - Acknowledge data erasure and start the test

1
Tick the checkbox labelled “I understand that all data on this tape will be permanently erased.” The Start Full Write button will become active.
2
Click Start Full Write.
Full Write confirmation dialog with acknowledgement checkbox ticked and Start Full Write button now active
After ticking the acknowledgement checkbox, the Start Full Write button becomes active.

If the tape is LTFS-formatted, a second confirmation dialog will appear before the test begins:

Secondary confirmation dialog asking to confirm LTFS partition wipe before starting Full Write
For LTFS-formatted tapes a secondary “Wipe LTFS Data and Run Full Write?” prompt appears. Click Wipe and Start to proceed, or Cancel to abort.

Click Wipe and Start to remove the LTFS partition and begin the test. The tape can be reformatted with LTFS after testing completes.

Step 4 - Wait for the test to complete

SymplyATOM2 will begin writing incompressible data from the beginning of the tape to the end. During this time the drive entry in the sidebar will show Running test… and all other drive actions will be temporarily disabled. The status bar at the bottom of the window shows the current operation in progress.

SymplyATOM2 main window with Full Write in progress — drive shows Running test status and all controls are disabled
While Full Write is running, all tape and drive controls are disabled and the status bar shows the current operation. Only the Support toolbar button remains active.
Do not interrupt the testDo not eject the tape, disconnect the drive, or quit SymplyATOM2 while the test is running. Full Write cannot be paused or resumed - interrupting the test will require it to be restarted from the beginning and may leave the tape in an unformatted state. Ensure your computer does not go to sleep during the test.

Step 5 - Review the result

When the test finishes, a result sheet will appear showing the drive serial number and the test outcome.

Full Write Passed result sheet showing drive serial number, Result: PASSED, and three action buttons
The Full Write result sheet confirms the drive serial and the outcome. From here you can open the results folder, submit directly to Symply Support, or dismiss.

From this sheet you have three options:

  • Show Results in Finder - Opens the folder containing the Full Write results file on your Mac (Windows: opens in File Explorer). Useful if you want to attach the file manually to an email or ticket.
  • Submit to Support - Opens the Submit Support Request window to upload the results and create or update a Symply support ticket. This is the recommended option.
  • Done - Closes the sheet without submitting. You can submit later using the Support toolbar button.

Step 6 - Submit to Support

Clicking Submit to Support opens the Submit Support Request window. This builds a compressed diagnostic bundle, uploads it securely to SymplyNEBULA, and either creates a new support ticket or adds a note to an existing one.

What's included in the bundle

ItemIncludedNotes
Full System Information report (.spx)AlwaysmacOS system profile - hardware, OS, connected devices
Network state snapshotsAlwaysSysdiagnose-style triage data
Support context & manifest filesAlwaysApp version, drive details, current drive state
Current SymplyATOM2 session logSelected by defaultApplication log from the current session
Latest Full Write outputSelected by defaultThe results file from the test completed in Steps 1–5. Shows how recently it was captured.
Retrieve Log, Run Test, Host ValidationOptionalOnly available if those operations have been run. Greyed out otherwise - run the relevant operation first to include.
Firmware Upgrade outputOptionalOnly included if a firmware upgrade was performed within the last 24 hours.
Crash reportsOptionalInclude if SymplyATOM2 has crashed or behaved unexpectedly.

An estimated bundle size is shown before you submit, so you know what will be uploaded.

Option A - Create a new support ticket

Select Create new ticket if you have not already contacted Symply Support about this issue.

Submit Support Request sheet showing Create new ticket tab with email, subject, description fields and bundle contents checklist
The Create new ticket tab. The Latest Full Write output is automatically selected in the bundle contents. Fill in your email address, a brief subject, and a description before clicking Upload and Submit.
  1. Confirm or enter the email address associated with your Symply account.
  2. Enter a short Subject summarising the reason for the test (e.g. LTO-8 drive - Full Write results as requested).
  3. In the Description field, describe what you observed before running the test and any symptoms that prompted the support request.
  4. Review the Bundle contents checklist and tick any additional items you want to include.
  5. Click Upload and Submit.
Write a good descriptionThe more detail you provide - what you were doing, what error appeared, whether the issue is intermittent - the faster Symply Support can diagnose the problem. A Current app context summary at the bottom of the form shows the drive state at submission time.

Option B - Add diagnostics to an existing ticket

Select Annotate existing ticket if Symply Support has already opened a case and asked you to run a test and submit the results.

Submit Support Request sheet showing Annotate existing ticket tab with a verified ticket ID and Latest Full Write output selected
Enter your email address and ticket ID, then click Verify to confirm ownership. Once verified, the ticket subject is shown in green. The Latest Full Write output is automatically selected.
  1. Enter the email address used when the original ticket was raised.
  2. Enter the Ticket ID number from your existing support case (found in the subject line of any Symply Support email, e.g. #6485).
  3. Click Verify. SymplyATOM2 will confirm the ticket exists and belongs to your email address.
  4. Once verified, add a Description noting that you are submitting the Full Write results as requested.
  5. Review the Bundle contents and click Upload and Submit.
Ticket ownership checkThe Ticket ID must have been raised using the same email address you enter. If verification fails, double-check both the ticket number and the email address. Contact support@gosymply.com if you are unsure which email was used.

Step 7 - Submission confirmed

After clicking Upload and Submit, SymplyATOM2 compresses the bundle, uploads it securely to SymplyNEBULA, and attaches it to your ticket. When complete, a green confirmation message shows the ticket number.

Submit Support Request sheet showing green confirmation banner: Support submission complete, Ticket created/updated
The green banner confirms the ticket number. Use the action buttons to reveal the uploaded bundle, copy a direct link, or open the ticket in your browser.

The following actions are available after a successful submission:

  • Reveal Bundle - Opens the folder containing the uploaded bundle file on your Mac.
  • Copy Link - Copies a direct link to the uploaded bundle to your clipboard.
  • Open in Symply Support - Opens your support ticket in a browser so you can track progress or add a reply.
  • Done - Closes the window. Symply Support will contact you via email when there is an update.

Frequently asked questions

Does Full Write permanently destroy my data?

Yes. Full Write overwrites the entire tape with incompressible test data from start to finish. All existing content is overwritten and cannot be recovered. Only run the test on a tape you are prepared to erase, or on a blank scratch tape supplied by Symply Support.

How is Full Write different from Run Test?

Run Test performs a 13-step drive diagnostics sequence that includes thermal checks, performance testing, and read/verify cycles - it tests the drive itself. Full Write focuses on the physical tape media: it writes incompressible data from the beginning of the tape to the very end, specifically to identify media-related issues such as bad sectors or degraded tape surface. Symply Support will tell you which test to run based on the symptoms you have reported.

How long does Full Write take?

Full Write must write across the entire tape, so the duration depends on the tape generation and capacity. As a guide, an LTO-8 cartridge can take eight hours or more. Plan to leave the computer, drive, and tape undisturbed for the full duration and ensure your computer does not go to sleep during the test.

Can I pause or resume Full Write?

No. Full Write cannot be paused or resumed. If the test is interrupted - for example by ejecting the tape, disconnecting the drive, or quitting SymplyATOM2 - it must be restarted from the beginning.

Can I reformat the tape for LTFS after the test?

Yes. Once Full Write has completed you can use the Format function in SymplyATOM2 to re-initialise the tape with an LTFS partition.

What if the test fails?

The result sheet will show FAILED instead of PASSED. Click Submit to Support immediately - the failure data captured in the results file is exactly what Symply Support needs to diagnose the issue. A failed Full Write typically indicates a problem with the tape cartridge itself.

What if the Upload and Submit button stays greyed out?

For a new ticket, make sure the Subject field is not empty. For an existing ticket, make sure you have clicked Verify and received a green confirmation before attempting to submit.

Do I need an internet connection?

Yes. The bundle upload and ticket creation both require an active internet connection. If you are offline, use Show Results in Finder to locate the results file and attach it manually to a support email.

Where are Full Write results stored locally?

On macOS: ~/Library/Logs/SymplyATOM2/FullWrite/
On Windows: %LOCALAPPDATA%\SymplyATOM2\FullWrite\
Each test creates a subfolder named with the drive serial number and timestamp.

If you have any questions please submit a [support ticket]