Patent ID: 7672755

Claim:
A library device comprising: a cell array which consists of an array of multiple cells each of which contains one of multiple cartridges each containing a storage medium; media drives in which the cartridges are removably mounted and which access the storage medium contained in the cartridges; a robot which transfers the cartridges between the cell array and the media drives; and a control board which controls operation of the library device, being equipped with a first memory which stores control information needed to control the operation of the library device, rewritably in a non-volatile manner, wherein each of the cartridges contains the storage medium and comprises a second memory which stores information rewritably in a non-volatile manner, wherein the robot is equipped with a memory reader/writer which accesses the second memory installed in the cartridge received by the robot, wherein one of the multiple cartridges is a diagnostic cartridge for the library device and the second memory installed in the diagnostic cartridge stores backup information which is the same as the control information stored in the first memory, and wherein when the control board is replaced with a new control board, the backup control information is automatically transferred to the first memory of the new control board from the second memory of the diagnostic cartridge.