I've seen a number of postings showing errors something
like shown below which I just encountered.

A difference is that I could see exactly what was
the problem.

   amrecover> extract

   Extracting files using tape drive /dev/rmt/0ln on host butch.
   The following tapes are needed: DS1-16

   Restoring files into directory /var/tmp/recover
   Continue [?/Y/n]? y

   Extracting files using tape drive /dev/rmt/0ln on host butch.
   Load tape DS1-16 now
   Continue [?/Y/n/s/t]? y

   EOF, check amidxtaped.<timestamp>.debug file on butch.
   amrecover: short block 0 bytes
   UNKNOWN file



For reasons I don't understand, frequently when I issue a rewind
tape command the command returns before the tape has finished
rewinding.  If I then try to do anything with the tape, I either
receive an error message or block until the rewind is completed.

All that happened above was that amrecover issued a rewind that
returned before the action was complete.  When it tried to read
the tape label the lights were still blinking from the rewind
and amrecover received an error.

I just continued with the amrecover and when I tried to extract
again the tape was rewound and all went fine.

Just a point to file away in dusty memory cells.

-- 
Jon H. LaBadie                  jon AT jgcomp DOT com
 JG Computing
 4455 Province Line Road        (609) 252-0159
 Princeton, NJ  08540-4322      (609) 683-7220 (fax)