UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

What os are you using? It looks like Solaris, but what version? Also post the script that writes the tape. And try to just read a table of contents for each section, note that the no-rewind tape name is needed.

mt -f /dev/rmt/0 rewind
tar tvf /dev/rmt/0n
tar tvf /dev/rmt/0n

The first tar should list your first short backup and the second tar should list your longer full backup.

I see you posted your Solaris version. If this:
mt -f /dev/rmt/0 rewind
tar tvf /dev/rmt/0n
tar tvf /dev/rmt/0n

lists the first archive but give "blocksize = 0" on the second, try one more
tar tvf /dev/rmt/0n

I think I understand what you are looking for.
The way I read the script and from what the previous unix guy told me, there should be 3 sections on the tape:
1) The password file, and the oracle user profile
2) The full backup of the entire unix system file structure
3) A full backup of the entire unix test box (done via remote shell in the backup script)
Knowing that, it seems like according to what you told me to do (List the contents on each), that it doesn't appear to be working right.
Here is a screenshot of the results. A picture is worth a thousand words here.

Yep...not working right. Either the first two sections never happened, or, more, likely, section 3 overwrote them. And section 3 did not complete. You can't get blood from a stone. Your backup is worthless. Sorry for the bad news.

I really appreciate your assistance. Although some people will be upset that I can't restore their table, I'm just glad to find out now, instead of weeks down the road. For the time being, I'm going to comment out the remote shell script of the unix test box, and then see how that works. Hopefully that will work until I can get a more seasoned professional in to re-evaluate the company backup procedures.