#QB 5.0
20 messages in this thread
Any word on when Quarterback 5.0 will be available? Will it support
multiple saves to the same tape when used in a streaming tape backup
system? I have 4 HD partitions and want to back them all up to the same
tape.
Thanks.
Dom Fontana
I just got the upgrade notice yesterday for QB 5.0. $35 to upgrade from
4.0-4.3 if I remember right. Gotta send in your original disk though
(yech! I wish I could just make a phone call, give them my info and disk #
and visa # and voila.). Mine goes out on Monday. Can't wait to see it's
tape drive support. Ami-Back has been doing quite well for me so far.
Dan McCoy – via Whap! and saving money doing it too!
Dan,
Thanks for the info. I didn't get my upgrade notice yet.
Dom Fontana
Dominick,
Oh, here's 37717:
Quarterback 5.0 will ship at the end of next week.
You can backup several volumes to the same tape. It is not fully
integrated into Quarterback yet, but we've implemented the SCSI Space
command that allows you to move forward past previous backups.
Here's the sequence for you: run Quarterback, go into Tape Options and
turn off 'Rewind tape after backup,' hit okay, then select your first
volume to backup and start that, when that's done, select and start your
second, third, and fourth backups. That's all.
Then, when restoring, say the 3rd backup, you would run Quarterback 5.0,
select Tape Options, hit Space and wait until the tape drive is done, then
hit Space again and wait. Now, the tape will be positioned at the start of
the 3rd backup. Then, select which volume to restore to and the catalog
for the 3rd backup will be read from the tape.
I hope this gives you an idea of how multi-session backups work.
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Mark,
Excellent reponse! Thanks for the great info on multi-session backups. I
always regretted having to stop using QB 4.3 when I got my tape backup
system from TTR. However, if you've read any of my other messages in
AmigaUser, then you'd know I have not been able to backup my HD even ONCE,
with MRBackup Professional, which comes with the tape drive from TTR. I am
currently sending the drive back to TTR for a refund and have filed various
complaints against TTR. They're real "ripoff artists" as they say. I hope
the president and resident creep, Todd Butson, gets everyhing that's coming
to him.
On the other hand, I have had nothing but pleasant experiences with your
company.
Keep up the GREAT work!
Dom Fontana
Oooooh! QB 5.0 available soon – Cant wait. I dont suppose there is any
chance of it being distributed electronically? You know – I send the cash,
and then hey presto! it turns up over CIS email. I would have thought this
would be a very cost effective way of supplying upgrades – but then again,
I'm not particularly `commercially aware' 🙂
Still, last time I upgraded, the fee was most reasonable, despite having
to mail a disk over to UK, so I'm not too worried.
Steve the G (Steve Goddard 100014,674) [BEDFORDSHIRE, UK]
Steve,
We do require that you send back your Quarterback disk for the upgrade. No
electronic distribution is possible.
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Thanks Mark,
I'll get my old disk sent back to you straight away. I note from another
message what the cost is, and will include a VISA number for you.
Steve the G (Steve Goddard 100014,674) [BEDFORDSHIRE, UK]
Mark –
I have just read your reply to Dom Fontana on using the SCSI "Space
Command" (shouldn't we be talking about Space Command over in the
SciFiForum <grin>?) for multiple backups to the same tape.
Am I correct in assuming that I can, in a SINGLE extended operation, backup
ALL of my HD partitions (DH0:, DH1:, DH2:, DH3:) to the same tape? Or
would I have to do each separately, using the technique of turning REWIND
off?
If all four partitions CAN be backed up in a single operation, am I correct
in assuming I could then (next week, say) move past that block of data on
the tape to do an INCREMENTAL backup of the same four partitions?
. . . . . JimDoc
Jim,
As I think I mentioned, backuping up multiple partitions is not fully
integrated into the Quarterback 5.0, but we have, instead, implemented the
SCSI Space command to allow multiple partitions to be backuped up.
Because of the way the Space command works, to backup each of four
partitions, you must essentially do four backups, but choose to not rewind
the tape at the end of the backup. As Quarterback progresses in future
versions, it may be possible to backup all four partitions by giving simple
one comand. For now, though, that is not the case.
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Mark,
I understand that with QB 5.0 you can backup four partitions by doing four
backups and NOT rewinding the tape after each backup.
My question is how does the restore operation work? Do you manually have
to locate the tape before the backup you want to restore from, or is there
a Scan Tape option, that will give you the backup number you want, and then
QB will find that backup for you automatically?
Thanks.
Dom Fontana
Dominick,
To restore, you have to remember where your backup is. If the backup that
you want to restore is the first backup on the tape, then simply do a
restore. If the backup that you want to restore is the second backup on
the tape, then you should Space forward once before doing a restore. So,
in general, one should space one less times the number of the position of
the backup that needs to be restores. If there is a fourth backup on a
tape to be restored, then Space three times.
I hope this clarifies things.
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Mark,
Yes, you made it very clear how to restore. I'm sending in 4.3 for my
upgrade.
However, I would like to make a suggestion for a quick upgrade to 5.0.
Until you have full automation for backing up and restoring more than one
partition, you should a least automate the Space command and have a scan
feature. I believe these features would be quick and easy to implement.
The Scan Tape feature would simply scan the tape and display the file
header information while consecutively numbering each backup. Then when
restoring, the user would simply insert the number of the appropriate
backup, and QB would handle the spacing automatically.
What do you think the chances are of having this implemented in the very
near future?
Dom Fontana
Dominick,
We already have thought of this. Just wait a touch longer.
Thanks,
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Nice to hear of QuarterBAck 5 coming out…Ihave 4.2, do we in Aust. get
update nupdate notices?
Lu,
I believe we will send notices to countries other than the US a little
later, but hopefully not much later.
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
I assume that means upgrade notices to Canada haven't been sent yet
either.
I've been waiting to get mine, I guess I'll just wait a little longer.
Kevin Ushko
Edmonton, Alberta
Kevin,
All you need to know about the upgrade for countries other than the USA is
that the upgrade is $35US from 4.x and $45US for 1.x or 2.x. You can pay
by MasterCard, VISA, or money order in US funds. You must send the payment
along with your original Quarterback disk to:
Central Coast Software
Attn: Quarterback 5.0 Upgrade
P.O. Box 164287
Austin, TX 78716
Mark Thomas
New Horizons Software, Inc.
Thanks Mark,
I'll get my disk and payment in the mail next week.
Kevin Ushko
Edmonton, Alberta
There's an upgrade?? When did this happen…expect an order shortly.