This message indicates a problem with your tape drive or your media. The following may be responsible for the problem:
The media has been ejected while the device is in use.
The wrong type of media in drive (for DAT or DLT tape drives)
The tape itself may be defective.
To diagnose and resolve this situation:
(For DAT tape drives only), make sure the tape drive is not in audio mode with the command mt audio 0 which takes the tape drive out of audio mode.
Eject the media and reinsert it.
You may need to power-down the system and, while powering back up, keep the tape device eject button pressed to eject the media.
Try a new tape that is known to be good.
Swap the tape drive with a know good one (if possible.)
Check for error messages in /var/adm/SYSLOG.
If the problem persists, contact your System Administrator or your service provider.
For information on how to configure or disable System Alerts, click here.