SCSI tape: device not configured problem

[Doug Poland]

Hello,

I've been using an HP HP35480A 1109 DAT tape in a -STABLE box for
about a year and half with no problems.  Just the other day, I
started seeing

  mt: /dev/nsa0: Device not configured

errors whenever I try to control the device.

Should I just MAKEDEV nsa0 to fix it?  Is it perhaps a hardware issue?
Thanks for your assitance.

-- 
Regards,
Doug