> I always restore to a temp space, just in case.

I should have done this...I never do direct restores...ugh
> 
> > # mt rewind
> > # mt fsf 1
> > # dd if=/dev/rmt/0hn bs=1 skip=1 | /usr/local/bin/tar -xf -
>                           ^
> Bad.  It should be bs=32k, as above (and as in the header you 
> got running 
> the first command).  Also, an even safer way is to not do the pipe:
> 
> dd if=/dev/rmt/0hn bs=32k skip=1 of=output.file
> 
> Then you can do 'tar t' on the output file to get a table of 
> contents and *really* make sure it's what you want.

The bs=1 was a typo...I can't cut and paste because this box is on a
test LAN that's not even getting out the door...my bad. But skipping the
pipe is a good suggestion.
> 
> Here's a brief summary.  Amanda stores several files on a 
> tape.  The first 
> is the tape header.  That's what you skip over with 'mt fsf 
> 1'.  The next 
> file is the first dump image.  The next is the second image, 
> etc.  Each 
> dump image has a 32k amanda header, and then the image.
> 
> The dd command with with 'bs=32k skip=1' reads the whole 
> file, skipping 
> over the first 32k -- the amanda header.  It stops when it 
> hits EOF of 
> that dump image.  If you run the exact same dd command again, 
> you'll grab 
> the next backup image.
> 

Thanks...I'll keep plugging away...