Bruce S. Skinner wrote:

I'm running amanda 2.4.4p2 on ubuntu linux (Warty) kernel v2.6.8.1.4 I
have a new configuration called "Norstead"; I've amlabel'ed all the
tapes; I put tape "Norstead01" in the drive; I run amcheck (sudo -u
backup amcheck -sclt Norstead) which reports all is ok;

Nitpicking here, but "amcheck Norstead" is the same as all the options
you used.

However, you did NOT to a write test "amcheck -w Norstead", so it
could be that the tape or tapedrive refuses to write to the tape,
e.g. because you forgot to switch the writetab on the tape.

I invoke amdump (sudo -u backup amdump Norstead) the estimates get
done and dump sets start rolling onto my holding disk.  The smallest
dump is alsike_boot at 28MB so it's done first and when taper attempts
to write it says:

  FAIL taper alsike alsike_boot 20050310 0 [out of tape].

I'm running a DLT8000 with no tape changer, but have set "runtapes 3"
with "autoflush on" on the assumption that when a tape gets full it
will wait for me to load another and kick it with amflush.

Any ideas what I've done/assumed wrong or what I should do next to
sort this out.

  INFO taper tape Norstead01 kb 32 fm 1 writing file: Input/output error

First it says "Input/output error".  And tapedrives actually don't
make much difference between End-Of-Tape and a real IO-error.
So unix assumes (and amanda too) that you hit end of tape.
A human should see if that is in reasonable values, and clearly
this is not, so this is really a real IO error.
Apparently the error already occured when trying to write the label.
Is the tape writeprotected?

  FAIL taper alsike alsike_boot 20050310 0 [out of tape]

Because real out-of-tape is also detected as a hard IO error...
But we already came to the conclusion that that was not EOT.

  ERROR taper no-tape [[cannot overwrite active tape Norstead01]]

That's because you had set runtapes = 3, but you did not configure
a changer, so amanda can't ask you to change the tapes...

  WARNING driver going into degraded mode because of tape error.

--
Paul Bijnens, Xplanation                            Tel  +32 16 397.511
Technologielaan 21 bus 2, B-3001 Leuven, BELGIUM    Fax  +32 16 397.512
http://www.xplanation.com/          email:  Paul.Bijnens AT xplanation DOT com
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