[NCLUG] scsi errors on tape backup

[Mark Fassler]

Any SCSI gurus out there?

I'm trying to do a tape backup to an Exabyte Eliant 820 tape drive.  This 
is an external SCSI drive attached to an Adaptec 2940 controller.  

When backing up certain files, I get these errors in /var/log/messages:

> st0: Error with sense data: Info fld=0x400, Current st09:00: sense key 
    Medium Error
> Additional sense indicates Write append position error
> st0: Error with sense data: [valid=0] Info fld=0x0, Current st09:00: 
    sense key Medium Error
> Additional sense indicates Write append position error
> Error on write filemark.
> Error with sense data: [valid=0] Info fld=0x400, Current st09:00: sense 
    key Hardware Error
> Additional sense indicates Internal target failure

... and the backup fails.  It seems related to only certain files.  It 
happens with either dump or tar.  It happens with any of the 2.4 kernels 
I've tried (I haven't tried any 2.2 kernels...).  I've tried different 
SCSI cables, different tapes and a different tape drive.  

Any suggestions?

--
Mark Fassler
fassler at monkeysoft.net