STATUS_PARTITION_FAILURE 0XC0000172 on tape drives

You're running a backup job — let's say with Backup Exec or Veeam — and the tape library reports STATUS_PARTITION_FAILURE (0XC0000172). The job fails instantly. Some software will also log "The tape could not be partitioned" or a generic SCSI error. The culprit here is almost always one of three things: a misconfigured tape drive setting, a worn-out or incompatible tape cartridge, or a driver stack that doesn't match the hardware.

Why this happens

Tape drives (especially LTO-5 and newer) can split a single cartridge into two logical partitions. Backup software does this to support features like data partitioning for advanced cataloging. When you see 0XC0000172, the OS or the driver told the drive to partition the tape, but the drive said "nope, can't do it". The drive either doesn't support partitioning on that cartridge, the tape is physically damaged, or the driver is sending malformed commands.

In my experience, 90% of these errors on Windows Server are caused by the wrong tape driver. Windows often installs the generic tape.sys driver instead of the vendor-specific driver. That generic driver doesn't handle the MODE SELECT and MODE SENSE commands for partitioning correctly.

How to fix it

1. Swap the tape cartridge. I always start here because it's the fastest check. Use a brand-new, compatible LTO cartridge. If the error goes away, the old tape was bad or already partitioned in an incompatible way. Tapes that have been used in a different drive model can sometimes carry partition metadata that confuses the current drive.
2. Update the tape drive firmware. Go to the drive vendor's site (HP, IBM, Quantum, Dell) and flash the latest firmware. This fixes known SCSI command bugs. A firmware mismatch is common when you swap drives between controllers or move them to a different server.
3. Install the correct driver. Uninstall the generic tape driver. Use Device Manager to list all tape devices. Right-click and Update driver → Browse my computer for drivers → Let me pick from a list. Select the vendor-specific driver. If it's not listed, download the driver package from the hardware vendor manually. Never use the "Let Windows search" option — it always picks the generic one.
4. Check the SCSI or SAS controller driver. The tape drive might hang off a SAS HBA or a dedicated SCSI adapter. An outdated HBA driver can corrupt the tape commands. Update the HBA firmware and driver from the chipset vendor (like LSI/Broadcom or Adaptec).
5. Verify the tape drive supports partitioning. Some older drives (LTO-3 and earlier) don't support partitioning at all. If your backup software is trying to force partitions on a drive that can't do it, you'll see this error. In that case, disable partitioning in the backup software settings. For Backup Exec, go to Devices → Tape → Properties and uncheck Enable hardware partitioning. For Veeam, check Tape Infrastructure settings.
6. Run a tape drive diagnostic. Use the vendor's diagnostic tool (like HP Tape Diagnostics or IBM Tape Diagnostic Tool) to run a media test and a drive test. These tools can expose a failing read/write head that still surfaces as a partition error.
7. Clean the drive heads. Pop in a cleaning cartridge. Run a full cleaning cycle. Failing that, a manual clean with a lint-free swab and isopropyl alcohol (99%) on the head surface — but only if you're comfortable doing that. I've seen head debris cause random SCSI errors including partition failures.

Still broken?

If none of that works, you've got a hardware-level problem. The tape drive might have a corrupted EEPROM or a failing control board. Try the drive in a different server with a different controller to isolate the issue. If it fails there too, the drive is toast. Replace it.

One more thing: check the backup software logs for additional SCSI sense data. The error often comes with a sense key and additional sense code. For example, Sense Key: 5, Additional Sense: 1A means the tape is write-protected or the cartridge is in a bad state. That extra info can point you at the exact cause without all the guesswork.