[Networker] continuing media verification failures with SDLT tapes

All,

I am perplexed by a problem that appears to be getting worse, not better,
over time.  Media verification failures using brand-new Fuji SDLT tape in a
new SDLT320 drive driven by a known-good SCSI bus and cable.  Below the log
file snippet is a summary of stuff I've tried so far...

Environment:  Solaris 8, running NetWorker 7.1

Jun 19 20:51:10 server scsi: [ID 107833 kern.warning]
WARNING: /pci@1f,4000/scsi@4/st@5,0 (st33):
Jun 19 20:51:10 server        Error for Command: write
Error Level: Fatal
Jun 19 20:51:10 server scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]  Requested Block:
9270   Error Block: 9270
Jun 19 20:51:10 server scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]  Vendor: QUANTUM
   Serial Number:  P    i
Jun 19 20:51:10 server scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]  Sense Key: Media Error
Jun 19 20:51:10 server scsi: [ID 107833 kern.notice]  ASC: 0x0 (<vendor
unique code 0x0>), ASCQ: 0x17, FRU: 0x0
Jun 19 20:51:10 server root: [ID 702911 daemon.notice] NetWorker media:
(critical) TapeAlert flag "Clean now" has been posted for /dev/rmt/4cbn
Jun 19 20:51:10 server root: [ID 702911 daemon.notice] NetWorker media:
(warning) /dev/rmt/4cbn writing: Bad file number, at file 50 record 9272
Jun 19 20:51:10 server root: [ID 702911 daemon.notice] NetWorker media:
(notice) sdlt320 tape FRZ694 on /dev/rmt/4cbn is full
Jun 19 20:51:10 server root: [ID 702911 daemon.notice] NetWorker media:
(notice) sdlt320 tape FRZ694 used 101 GB of 160 GB capacity
Jun 19 21:00:19 server root: [ID 702911 daemon.notice] NetWorker media:
(warning) /dev/rmt/4cbn moving: fsr 9267: drive status is Media Error,
Cleaning Requested

Sun has recommended that with the latest st driver and patch that no
modification is necessary to the st.conf.  Is that an acceptable
recommendation?   Not sure.

I'm really at wit's end here folks.  Any feedback would be very much
appreciated.  Since I only bought the library four months ago and am
already having problems on my third drive, I'm about ready to tell STK to
swap out the drive for an LTO.

TIA
-ty

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