Question : Problem: CRC Error on on DDS Tape

We are running Windows 2000 Server with Veritas Backup Exec 8

My last two backup jobs failed because of CRC errors. I quickly found out that the tape drive hadn't been cleaned in some time, so I think that is the source of my CRC errors. (Yes, the "clean me" light was blinking, yes I cleaned the drive.) My question is concerning the tapes that the CRC error happened on. Am i to assume that these tapes are now unusable? I'm trying to erase one of them now, and Veritas refuses to read it. I get a "No media in drive" error. Are there any ways around this, or are my bad CRC tapes destined for the garbage?

One more question: If anyone can answer this one and my previous question I'll throw in another 125 points...

When I try to schedule a new cleaning job, I can't because under "Select a Drive to Clean" there is nothing listed! Any ideas? When I cleaned the drive earlier this morning, all I did was put in the cleaning cartridge, the drive "read" it, and it popped it back out. The "clean me" light promptly stopped flashing, so am I to assume that the drive has been properly cleaned without the assistance of Veritas Backup Exec? I don't necessarily like this because then I don't get cleaning statistics from Veritas. I don't want to hit the "Reset Statistics" button every time I put in a cleaning drive. Any ideas anyone?

Answer : Problem: CRC Error on on DDS Tape

I've had a few DDS IV tapes that have come up as that I have been upable to do anything with and have had to discard. I've even had to retire a HP DLT 24e recently for consistant CRC failures, but If Backup Exec and the Tape Drive are failing to see the media in question, perhaps they are in a media set that does not allow them to be overwriiten for a period and are being ejected immediately or else they are physically write protected.
As to the second part, for DAT there is no Backup Exec controlled cleaning cycle. The light just blinks, you pop the cleaning tape in, the DAT recognises it as such and progesses the tape along a fixed distance. When the tape has been wound to the end you need a new one. I think Backup Exec gives the option to run a cleaning cycle for DLT drives. I believe that the cleaning statistics are reset for a drive after a clean has occured, though you are given the option to manually reset them at any time yourself.