If you need to force a tape to be free when you’re using System Center Data Protection Manager you can use the PowerShell script ForceFree-Tape.ps1. The syntax of this command had me stuck for a while, so here’s a post to explain it.
- Run the DPM Management Shell as an administrator.
- Enter ForceFree-Tape.ps1.
- Enter the DPM server name.
- Enter the library name. There’s no need to add speech marks for spaces in the name.
- Here’s the bit that got me stuck. Enter the location of the tape to be force free as slot-x, where x is the slot number of the tape you wish to erase. Press enter and repeat the process for multiple slots.
- When you’ve entered the location of the slots you wish to force free press Enter again.
Richard Skinner 
This works really well, much thanks!
thank you. same issue and this helped.
Hi There.
I’m getting and error:
I’ve already opened and closed and also done detailed inventory :
At C:\_Scripts2_\ForceFree.ps1:68 char:17
+ Remove-RecoveryPoint -RecoveryPoint $rp -ForceDeletion -Confirm: …
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [Remove-DPMRecoveryPoint], DlsException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : UIOutOfSync,Microsoft.Internal.EnterpriseStorage.Dls.UI.Cmdlet.RecoveryCmdLets.RemoveRecoveryPoint
Remove-RecoveryPoint : DPM could not perform the requested action on the selected items.
This could be because the selected items or some properties associated with these items have changes that prevent the action from being taken. (ID: 31127)
Close and reopen DPM Administrator Console to synchronize it.
Hi There.
I’ve already solve the problem.
I had to restart all trhe dpm services in the server, and only after that I was able to delete recovery points form tapes though the script.