>> I'm still pretty new to Linux and Amanda. I'm receiving the following error 
>> during amcheck: 
>> 
>> Amanda Tape Server Host Check 
>> ----------------------------- 
>> WARNING: holding disk /opt/amanda: only 15564476 KB free, using nothing 
>> ERROR: /dev/nst0: tape_rdlabel: tape open: /dev/nst0: Input/output error 
>> (expecting tape Daily-002 or a new tape) 
>> NOTE: skipping tape-writable test 
>> Server check took 0.648 seconds 
>> 
>> Amanda Backup Client Hosts Check 
>> -------------------------------- 
>> Client check: 3 hosts checked in 16.401 seconds, 0 problems found 
>> (brought to you by Amanda 2.4.4p1) 
>> 
>> Recommendations on best way to proceed? Thanx in advance. 

Jon Labadie wrote:

> I'd start by mimicing amanda's actions manually to narrow where to look. 
> 
> Can you manually read the tape label as the amanda user id? 
> 
> Something like this: 
> 
> $ su - <amanda_user> 
> ... 
> 
> $ dd if=/dev/nst0 bs=32k count=1 
> 
> The label is text and you should see it on-screen. 

I may have fixed the issue by physical means.  I ejected the tape, turned the 
drive off and on, used a cleaning tape, then reinserted the tape.  amcheck now 
reports all is well, but I'm, well, a little concerned.

When I run dd if=/dev/nst0 bs=32k count=1 the response is:
0+0 records in
0+0 records out

When I run amflush Daily the response is:
Scanning /opt/amanda...

Today is: 20080321
Flushing dumps in to tape drive "/dev/nst0".
Expecting tape Daily-002 or a new tape.  (The last dumps were to tape Daily-001)
Are you sure you want to do this [yN]? N
Ok, quitting.  Run amflush again when you are ready.

As you can see, there is no text label using the dd command, and I would think 
there ought to be something to flush, since the amreport was screaming:
*** A TAPE ERROR OCCURRED: [tape_rdlabel: tape open: /dev/nst0: Input/output 
error].
Some dumps may have been left in the holding disk.
Run amflush to flush them to tape.
The next tape Amanda expects to use is: Daily-002.

FAILURE AND STRANGE DUMP SUMMARY:
  madison.ch //accounting/Apps lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  madison.ch /opt lev 2 FAILED [can't dump no-hold disk in degraded mode]
  madison.ch /boot lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  nostep.chi /boot lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  tyler.chi. /var lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  tyler.chi. /export lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  tyler.chi. /opt lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  madison.ch /var lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  madison.ch /export/home lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  madison.ch //accounting/Finance lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  tyler.chi. / lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  tyler.chi. /boot lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  madison.ch / lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space]
  nostep.chi / lev 1 FAILED [no more holding disk space] 

It doesn't look like I need to run amflush, or should I anyway? Is all of this 
an indication that there may be something wrong with either the tape or drive?  
Or should I just skip over my twitch of paranoia and move on? Thanx.