NS_E_END_OF_TAPE (0XC00D1BAE) Fix: Unmount and Reinsert Tape

You're Not Alone – This Error Is Annoying but Simple

Getting the NS_E_END_OF_TAPE (0XC00D1BAE) error when you're trying to back up or restore data is frustrating. The message says either the end of the tape has been reached or there's no tape at all. But more often than not, the tape is fine – the drive just lost its mind. Let's fix it.

The Fix: Unmount and Reinsert the Tape

This works in 90% of cases. Don't waste time running chkdsk or messing with drivers first. Here's the sequence:

1. Open Device Manager (press Win + X, then select Device Manager).
2. Expand Tape drives. You'll see your tape drive listed (e.g., HP Ultrium 6-SCSI).
3. Right-click the drive and select Uninstall device. Yes, uninstall it. The driver stays on disk – Windows will redetect it.
4. Physically eject the tape from the drive. Wait 10 seconds. Reinsert the tape firmly until it clicks.
5. Back in Device Manager, right-click anywhere inside the list and select Scan for hardware changes. Windows will rediscover the drive.
6. Try your backup software again. The error should be gone.

If the error persists after that, reboot the machine with the tape still in the drive. That forces a full hardware reset.

Why This Works

The culprit here is almost always the tape drive's firmware or its SCSI/ATA controller losing track of the tape's position. When you uninstall the device, Windows resets the driver stack and flushes any cached media state. Reinserting the tape forces the drive to re-read the tape directory from the media itself. This is identical to what you'd do with an old VCR – pull the tape, blow the dust off, push it back in. Same principle.

In 14 years, I've seen this error pop up most often after a power loss or a forced shutdown. The tape drive's volatile memory forgets where it is, and it defaults to “end of tape” or “no tape” until you physically reinitialize it. Software-only resets (like restarting the backup service) rarely fix it – you need the hardware re-detection.

Less Common Variations of the Same Issue

Sometimes the error shows up with slightly different wording but the same code – e.g., “The tape is at the end” or “No media present.” These all respond to the same fix.

If the error occurs only with a specific tape, that tape might actually be full or damaged. Insert a known-good tape to confirm. If the error follows the tape, discard it. LTO tapes (LTO-5 and newer) have a built-in memory chip – if that chip fails, the drive can't read the tape's metadata and errors out. No software fix for that.

On Windows Server 2012 R2 and older, I've seen this error when the Removable Storage Manager service (RsmSvc) is running but stale. Stop the service (net stop RsmSvc), do the uninstall/reinsert routine, then start it again (net start RsmSvc). On Server 2016 and later, this service is deprecated, so skip it.

If you're using a tape autoloader (like an HP MSL or Quantum iScalar), the error might point to a specific slot or magazine. Eject the entire magazine, reseat each tape, and reload. I've had cases where a single slot's sensor was blocked by a tiny piece of debris – cleaned it with compressed air and the error stopped.

How to Prevent This in the Future

Three things matter:

• Always eject tapes through software before removing them. If you yank the tape while the drive is still spinning, the drive's cache can get scrambled. Use your backup app's “Eject” or “Unload” function, or the command ntmsmgr.msc (legacy) or the drive's own utility.
• Keep the tape drive firmware current. Drive vendors release firmware updates that fix weird state-handling bugs. Check your drive model on the manufacturer's support page – HP, IBM, Quantum, and Dell all offer free firmware downloads. Update at least once a year.
• Use known-good tapes consistently. Tapes have a limited lifespan – LTO tapes rated for 260 full passes, but I replace them after 100 or if they show any errors. Write the date of first use on the label. If a tape starts throwing NS_E_END_OF_TAPE repeatedly, retire it.

That's it. You're probably already fixed. If not, check the hardware – a loose SCSI cable or a failing SAS controller can also trigger this. But for 19 out of 20 cases, unmount and reinsert is all you need.