Error attempting to read or write to /dev/st0: sense keyMediumError

[Herminio]

> > > > I am a newbie to linux servers and tape backups, and I have a
> > > > problem performing a simple 'tar -cf' backup.
> > > > 
> > > > The system in question:
> > > > Redhat 9.0 on a Dell PowerEdge 600SC with
> > > > Adaptec AIC7XXX EISA/VLB/PCI SCSI HBA DRIVER, Rev 6.2.8
> > > > 
> > > > The tape drive is a DELL PowerVault 100T DDS4. It appears
> > as 'Python
> > > > 06408-XXX Rev: 9100' in /proc/scsi/scsi. It is the only
> > SCSI device
> > > > on a Adaptec 3960D Ultra160 SCSI adapter.
> > > > 
> > > > Using a brand new DDS-4 tape, I try the following:
> > > > 
> > > > [root at nccserver root]# tar cvf /dev/st0 data/
> > > > data/
> > > > ...
> > > > tar: /dev/st0: Wrote only 0 of 10240 bytes
> > > > tar: Error is not recoverable: exiting now 
> > > 
> > > Does
> > > 
> > >   mt -f /dev/nst0 setblk 0
> > > 
> > > help any?  I've needed this in the past on exabyte 8mm tapes with 
> > > some drives.
> > > 
> > 
> > Thanks for the tip James, but unfortunately that has does 
> not seem to 
> > make any difference on this system. the tar command returns 
> the same 
> > error messages.
> > 
> 

Hi, 

Just to inform any future readers of this thread that we finally solved
the problem. It was caused by a dirty read/write head in the tape drive.
All it took was a cleaning tape to solve the problem.

Thank you for your suggestions and time spent on this. I have learned
lots of new things.

-herminio