excessive resync errors from 4.2 restore

[RSanders at USGS2-MULTICS.ARPA]

  Our monthly dumps of the user filesystem on an Eagle (~350 Mb) are
running into 8 or 9 tapes.  Recently, we've been trying to restore(8)
individual files from these dumps.  We are getting lots of 'resynch'
error messages and are unable to restore several files.

  We usually have PM on the tape drive (Cipher 920/Emulex TC-11
controller) a few days before the monthly dumps, and I just had the
maintenance people go over the tape drive with a fine tooth comb.  The
only reference in my archives to this problem points at flaky tape
drives.  I found nothing relevant in the Mt Xinu buglist handed out in
Dallas.  Has anyone got some clues?

-- Rex
   RSanders at Denver  (milnet/arpanet)