1. Load the tape in to the drive
2. Check to see if the tape is in
mt -f /dev/rmt/0 noret
3. Rewind the tape
mt -f /dev/rmt/0 rewind
4. Tar the files to the tape dev with the no rewind option set .
tar -cvf /dev/rmt/0n /opt
mt -f /dev/rmt/0 rewind
5. Now check to see if the tar was successfull. ( What is on the Tape )
6. tar -tvf /dev/rmt/0n

tar ( old vertion ) you can use tar tvf as well