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ERROR_DESTINATION_ELEMENT_FULL
The destination element is occupied.
ERROR_DESTINATION_ELEMENT_FULL has decimal value 1161 (0x489). A media changer accepted the destination as a valid element but found that another cartridge or medium already occupies it. The system is preventing a move that could collide with, overwrite, or strand physical media.
Where occupancy conflicts arise
- a scheduler relies on an inventory snapshot that predates another robotic move
- an operator inserts a cartridge into an import/export port reserved by software
- a drive did not unload successfully, yet the application marked it empty
- two backup or archive managers control the same library without coordinated reservations
- an exchange operation was modeled as a simple move to a nonempty slot
Immediate checks
Query the destination's current element status and identify the occupying volume by bar code or volume tag when supported. Also inspect the source element: depending on device behavior, the source should still contain its original medium, but the management layer should verify rather than infer the final physical state after any failed robotics command.
Telemetry that supports reconciliation
- operation type, command identifier, source and destination element addresses
- expected and observed volume tags at both endpoints
- library inventory generation and controller ownership
- drive loaded/unloaded status and transport exception flags
- door or magazine changes close to the command timestamp
Inventory timestamps are especially important. A report that says merely “destination full” cannot distinguish persistent occupancy from a race between two valid jobs.
Correct recovery
- do not retry the same destination until its status changes
- decide whether the occupant belongs there or was placed incorrectly
- choose another verified empty element, or explicitly unload the occupant according to policy
- use a supported exchange-medium operation if the intent is to swap cartridges
- refresh the software inventory after the physical moves finish
Automatic eviction can be dangerous: the occupying cartridge may contain the only available backup copy or may be assigned to another job. Media-management policy, not a low-level error handler, should choose where that volume goes.
Design recommendations
Before issuing a move, reserve both endpoints in a central allocator and revalidate their element status. The reservation must cover all processes that control the changer. If the library can be manipulated manually, invalidate cached occupancy when the door opens or a magazine is replaced.
Related changer results
ERROR_SOURCE_ELEMENT_EMPTY concerns the origin rather than the target. ERROR_MAGAZINE_NOT_PRESENT means the destination's containing magazine is absent, not occupied. ERROR_ILLEGAL_ELEMENT_ADDRESS indicates that no such destination exists. Error 1161 confirms a real destination that already holds media.
Example
A tape library scheduler plans to unload Drive 2 into Slot 8. Another job has just returned a cleaning cartridge to Slot 8, but the scheduler's cached inventory still marks the slot free. The move fails with 1161. Querying both elements, retaining the cartridge in the drive, and selecting a reserved empty slot avoids an unsafe automatic displacement.
References
- Microsoft: System Error Codes (1000–1299)
- Microsoft: Device Management Control Codes
- Microsoft: IOCTL_CHANGER_GET_ELEMENT_STATUS
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