Thus spake Matthias Scheler
> In article <20010913112940.BDD7C1A6E@druid.net>,
> 	darcy@druid.net (D'Arcy J.M. Cain) writes:
> > I have a system that I backup to using tar every day.  Every few days I
> > start seeing the following message.
> > 
> > tar: can't write to /dev/tape : Input/output error
> 
> You should clean the drive with a cleaning tape and get a new set of
> backup tapes.

We do shift new tapes into the rotation but due to some recent staff changes
it has been put off lately.  I guess I should get back on that schedule.

I remember reading somewhere (possibly a FOAF story - I can't remember
exactly) that tape cleaners were actually bad for tape drives.  Any
truth to that?

> > Has anyone else seen this?
> 
> Yes, my old Exabyte 8200 sometimes got suck like this if used with bad tapes.
> This was with NetBSD-1.1 a long time ago.
> 
> > If I reboot the system it is OK again for another few days.
> 
> You reset the streamer with this. A "scsictl scsibus0 reset" would probably
> be sufficient.

I will try that next time.  Thanks for the suggestions.

-- 
D'Arcy J.M. Cain <darcy@{druid|vex}.net>   |  Democracy is three wolves
http://www.druid.net/darcy/                |  and a sheep voting on
+1 416 425 1212     (DoD#0082)    (eNTP)   |  what's for dinner.