ntbackup, blank logs and an rsm failure?

[95%Perspiration5%Inspiration]

Good day,

I originally posted the message below in another forum; can anyone throw
some light on my problem?

Cheers!

Hello all,

This is the first time I'm posting to a Microsoft discussion group and I'm
resorting to it because I'm running out of ideas for a pointed solution to my
problem.

An unmanaged backup task used to run daily on an internal HP StorageWorks
DAT72 drive, scheduled to run with the command:

C:\WINDOWS\system32>C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents
and S
ettings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBac
kup\data\daily.bks" /n "Daily backup" /d "Daily backup" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no
/hcn /m normal /j "
DailyBackup" /l:f /p "4mm DDS" /um

All was fine until the backup operator stopped inspecting the backup logs
from within ntbackup (tools->report): a blank backup log was created day
after day and a 30-minute interval was noted in the event logs between the
time that ntbackup would start and that rsm stopped.

I then modified the scheduled task to force rsm to refresh its inventory and
took out the /n switch, following KB267574. The scheduled task then became:

#START##################
C:\WINDOWS\system32>start /wait rsm.exe inventory /lf"Hewlett Packard DAT72
driv
e" /AFULL

C:\WINDOWS\system32>C:\WINDOWS\system32\ntbackup.exe backup "@C:\Documents
and S
ettings\Administrator\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows
NT\NTBac
kup\data\daily.bks" /d "Daily backup" /v:yes /r:no /rs:no /hcn /m normal
/j "
DailyBackup" /l:f /p "4mm DDS" /um
#END############################

This script did not help: the blank logs persisted.

I then set the scheduled time to one when I'd be present, left the
administrator logged in, and found out why the logs were turning out blank:

The ntbackup window opened; then the backup progress window opened. Then
there was a 'Mount Waiting' window open stating that
'The library is unable to load the media at this time because the drive is
in use.

Media Name Daily Backup

Time ...........

Please wait for the drive .....'

There was also a 'Pending operator request' window open stating

'Place media Daily backup-1 into drive or library unit' with tabs to
complete or refuse the action. Complete just brought up the warning again.

Finally, the last symptom showed up when I went to handle the tape drive
from within Computer Management: a right-click (or a left-click, i'm not
quite sure) on the tape drive icon brought up a popup window titled Removable
Storage, stating:

"Unable to read from or write to the database.

There is a problem with the Removable Storage Service. Please restart the
service"

Upon clicking on the OK button, another popup showed up, also titled
Removable Storage, stating:

"The object identifier does not represent a valid object.

This snapin's display may be inconsistent with the Removable Storage
Service. If the problem persists, please restart the snapin."

Clicking OK brought up the first popup and so on until I ran an sc stop
ntmssvc, sc start ntmssvc.

I've read a few posts about removing/renaming the removable storage database
at %systemroot%\system32\ntmsdata. Is this the way to go about it or can
someone suggest anything else?

Cheers.