This morning my amcheck (amanda 2.4.5) told me that I had to fix a
problem before run:

Amanda Tape Server Host Check
-----------------------------
Holding disk /disk1/amanda/hd: 178138 MB disk space available, using 177638 MB
amcheck-server: slot 1: date 20050629 label DailySet1-011 (active tape)
amcheck-server: slot 2: reading label: Input/output error
amcheck-server: slot 3: date 20050601 label DailySet1-013 (active tape)
amcheck-server: slot 4: date 20050602 label DailySet1-014 (active tape)
amcheck-server: slot 5: date 20050603 label DailySet1-015 (active tape)
ERROR: label DailySet1-012 or new tape not found in rack
       (expecting tape DailySet1-012 or a new tape)

After running:

amtape DailySet1 slot 2 
and 
amtape DailySet1 current, 

I got a correct tape label and no output errors ! What can be the
cause of this ?

I have a tapecylce of 24 tapes. Does this mean that I should always
have a "blank/new/inactive" tape in the changer for situations like
this, where the amanda operator is not there to fix things up ? I use
to load the changer with the next 5 tapes for the week.

If that DailySet1-012 tape were indeed BAD, how could I manage to
insert a new tape with the same name in my rotation ?

I know I could do an amrmtape, but it would probably refuse to remove
an active tape without forcing it ? If I know that the tape would be
reused anyway on the next run and my dumpcycle is one week anyway, so
the tape is pretty old, I presume there is no danger in amrmtap'ing it
and then relabel it with the correct name ?

Or could I simply mark it as noreuse and amanda would ask for the next
tape (DailySet1-013) ?

Also, is there a way to differentiate between a tape that is "active"
(in rotation) and one that I would describe as "essential" (needed for
a restore, one from the last "dumpcycle")  ?

Thanks