How to Install — TapeVault

1

System Requirements

Before installing TapeVault, make sure your system meets the following requirements.

Operating System

Windows 10 / 11 (64-bit)

RAM

8 GB or more recommended

Storage

500 MB free disk space

LTO Drive Interface

SAS / Thunderbolt / USB

Supported LTO

LTO-4 through LTO-9

Internet

Required for activation only

ℹ️ TapeVault runs fully offline after initial license activation. No ongoing internet connection is required.

2

Download the Installer

Download the latest TapeVault installer for Windows. The installer includes all required runtime components including Python and Electron.

⬇ Download TapeVault v1.0.0 for Windows

✅ File: TapeVault-Setup-v1.0.0-win64.exe · ~180 MB · SHA256 verified

⚠️ Windows SmartScreen may show a warning on first run. Click "More info" → "Run anyway" to proceed. This is normal for newly released software.

3

Run the Installer

Run the downloaded TapeVault-Setup-v1.0.0-win64.exe file and follow the steps below.

Double-click the installer file to launch the setup wizard
Accept the License Agreement and click Next
Choose installation folder (default: C:\Program Files\TapeVault)
Select Create Desktop Shortcut if desired
Click Install and wait for completion (~2 minutes)
Click Finish — TapeVault will launch automatically

TapeVault Setup v1.0.0

✓ Extracting files...
✓ Installing Python runtime...
✓ Installing Electron framework...
✓ Registering TapeVault...
→ Installation complete. Click Finish to launch.
Installed to C:\Program Files\TapeVault

4

LTO Driver Setup

TapeVault requires the appropriate SCSI/SAS or tape driver for your LTO drive. Most modern LTO drives are automatically recognized by Windows, but some may require manual driver installation.

ℹ️ Connect your LTO drive before launching TapeVault for the first time. TapeVault will detect the drive automatically on startup.

If your drive is not detected, install the driver manually:

Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager)
Look for your LTO drive under Tape drives or Other devices
Right-click → Update driver → Search automatically
If not found, download the driver from your drive manufacturer's website

HPE LTO

hpe.com/drivers

IBM LTO

ibm.com/support

Quantum LTO

quantum.com/drivers

Sony LTO

sony.com/support

5

First Launch

Launch TapeVault from the Desktop shortcut or Start Menu. On first launch, TapeVault will scan for connected LTO drives and guide you through initial setup.

TapeVault v1.0.0 — LTO Archive Manager

TapeVault v1.0.0

✓ Python IPC bridge started
✓ Database initialized
→ Scanning for LTO drives...
✓ Drive detected: HP Ultrium 7 (LTO-7)
Ready. Insert tape to begin.

Insert an LTO tape into your drive
Click + 새 테이프 (New Tape) to register the tape
Create your first project folder
Drag files into the queue and click Archive to Tape

6

License Activation

TapeVault includes a 30-day free trial with full features. To activate a paid license, go to Settings → License and enter your license key.

          Activation steps
        
          1. Open TapeVault → Click 설정 (Settings) in the top bar

          2. Navigate to Settings → License → Activate

          3. Enter your license key from the purchase email

          4. Click Activate — internet required for this step only

          5. ✓ Activation complete — now fully offline capable

✅ After activation, TapeVault works completely offline. No recurring internet connection required.

7

FFmpeg Setup (Thumbnail Generation)

TapeVault uses FFmpeg to automatically generate preview thumbnails from video files stored on LTO tape. FFmpeg is a free, open-source multimedia framework and must be installed separately.

ℹ️ Without FFmpeg, TapeVault will still work normally — but video thumbnail previews will not be generated. All other features remain fully functional.

Why FFmpeg?

Generates preview thumbnails from MP4, MOV, MXF, AVI, MKV files without recalling the full file from tape
Used for video metadata extraction (duration, resolution, codec information)
Enables the visual grid view in TapeVault — browse your archive like a media browser
Runs locally on your machine — no data is sent externally

Installation — Method 1: Automatic (Recommended)

TapeVault can download and configure FFmpeg automatically on first launch:

Launch TapeVault → go to 설정 (Settings) → Video & Thumbnails
Click Install FFmpeg automatically
TapeVault downloads and configures FFmpeg in the background (~50 MB)
Restart TapeVault — thumbnail generation is now active

Installation — Method 2: Manual

For air-gapped environments where internet access is restricted:

Download FFmpeg from ffmpeg.org/download.html → Windows builds → ffmpeg-release-essentials.zip
Extract the zip file to a folder, e.g. C:\ffmpeg
In TapeVault → Settings → Video & Thumbnails → FFmpeg path
Set the path to C:\ffmpeg\bin\ffmpeg.exe
Click Test & Save to verify

          Verify FFmpeg installation (Command Prompt)
          
C:\> ffmpeg -version

ffmpeg version 6.1 Copyright (c) 2000-2024 the FFmpeg developers

built with gcc 13.2.0 (crosstool-NG 1.25.0.296)

libavcodec    60.31.102

libavformat   60.16.100

...

Supported formats

MP4, MOV, MXF, AVI, MKV, WMV

Thumbnail size

320×180px (configurable)

FFmpeg version

4.x or later required

License

LGPL / GPL — free to use

⚠️ For broadcast environments using MXF (OP1a / OP-Atom) files, make sure your FFmpeg build includes libavcodec with MXF support. The recommended "essentials" build from ffmpeg.org includes this by default.

8

Windows Media Player & Codec Setup

TapeVault's built-in video preview feature uses Windows Media Foundation to play back recalled video files directly within the app. On some Windows configurations, additional codec packs may be required for certain formats.

Check Windows Media Player status

Press Win + R → type wmplayer → press Enter
If Windows Media Player opens — you are ready to go ✅
If not found — follow the steps below to enable it

Enable Windows Media Player (if missing)

Windows Features — Step by step

Press Win + R → type optionalfeatures → Enter

Find Media Features → expand → check Windows Media Player

Click OK → Windows will install it (~1 min)

Restart your computer if prompted

✓ Windows Media Player is now active

Recommended Codec Pack — K-Lite Codec Pack

Download from codecguide.com/download_k-lite_codec_pack_basic.htm
Run the installer with default settings
Restart TapeVault after installation
All major video formats will now preview correctly

H.264 / MP4

✓ Built-in Windows

H.265 / HEVC

K-Lite or MS Store codec

MXF / ProRes

K-Lite recommended

AVI / WMV

✓ Built-in Windows

MOV / QuickTime

K-Lite recommended

DNxHD / DNxHR

Avid codec required

ℹ️ HEVC codec for Windows 11: Search for "HEVC Video Extensions" in the Microsoft Store. Free on Windows 11 — provides native H.265 playback without third-party codec packs.

⚠️ Enterprise / Air-gapped environments: If Microsoft Store access is restricted, use K-Lite Codec Pack which can be installed offline.

Video preview inside TapeVault

TapeVault — 파일 정보 패널

2026_06_12_22_41(1).mp4
/A1-1/2026_06_12_22_41_(1).mp4

▶ 동영상 미리보기 ← Click to preview in-app

파일 유형 h264
해상도 1280×720
용량 0.0 GB (31 MB / 31497 KB)
날짜 2026-06-26
보관 테이프 VT TEST

!

LTO drive not detected

Make sure the LTO drive is powered on and connected before launching TapeVault
Check Device Manager — the drive should appear under Tape drives
Try a different SAS/USB port or cable
Reinstall the tape driver from your drive manufacturer
Click 새로고침 (Refresh) in TapeVault's top bar to re-scan

!

Installation fails or won't start

Right-click the installer → Run as Administrator
Temporarily disable antivirus software during installation
Make sure you have at least 500 MB of free disk space
Download the installer again — the file may be corrupted

!

License activation issues

Make sure you have an active internet connection during activation
Check that you copied the license key correctly — no extra spaces
Each license key can be activated on up to 2 devices
If you need to transfer a license, contact support

ℹ️ Still having issues? Contact us at support@tapevault.net — we respond within 24 hours on business days.