#Backup Questions
10 messages in this thread
Tom
I'm going to call Exabyte and see what they have to say. My drive came without
docs – Yikes! We haven't been able to get anywhere just messing with it. The
thing you mentioned about the lights caught my attention. The lights on mine
blink at different times for different (unknown) reasons – again no docs.
I can appreciate your backing up two copies of everything, but jeez, that's
gonna get real expensive real fast. There must be a better way!
Glad to see you like Flite Gear, I'm trying to get OKed to order it.
I'll keep you informed if I have any successes.
BarryVedros
ISI
Jim,
Please let me know if Exabyte tell you how to turn off compression on their
tape drives. I am convinced that it is not helping to recompress material that
is already compressed. I agree that backup up a project twice to ensure no
clip losses is not efficient and expensive, but right now that is the only way
that I can ensure that I will be able to completely restore large projects.
From the owner's manual for the 8205 and 8505 Exabyte tape drives, here is a
summary of what the LED activity means:
"When the top (orange) LED is flashing, the tape drive has an error or needs
cleaning."
"When the middle LED is on or flashing, SCSI bus activity is occurring. If the
middle LED is organge the tape loaded in the tape drive is one of the
compression formats (8500c or 8200c). Note that when the tape is in 8500c
format, the LED is always orange even thogh compression can be turned off." [I
wish they would tell you how in the manual!!!]
"When the middle LEE is green, the tape loaded in the tape drive is in one of
the non-compression formats (8500 or 8200)."
"When the bottom (green) LED is on, a data cartridge is loaded in the tape
drive. When this LED is flashing, the tape is moving or the drive needs
cleaning. In the latter case both the top (orange) LED and the bottom (green)
LED will flash rapidly."
I hope the above information is helpful to you.
Tom
<<"When the middle LEE is green, the tape loaded in the tape drive is in one of
the non-compression formats (8500 or 8200).">>
Sounds like there are tape types or tape formatting options that are
automatically compression free. Is there tape backup software (perhaps for the
PC) that comes with the drive and which might offer formatting options for the
tapes? Let us know if this is the solution. I haven't decided on a tape drive
yet.
Using this drive with the Flyer, seems we'll need regular backup software to
handle things like tape formatting.
-dean
Dean,
No PC software came with the Exabyte 8505XL. The tapes are not formatted and
do not require formating prior to use. Apparently the drive is able to sense
from the tape leader or from some notch code on the tape cassette whether it is
compressed or not. According to the phrase in the Exabyte manual, compression
can be turned off (apparently via software) but they do not explain how to do
so.
Tom
Hmmmmmmmmm.
<<<I haven't decided on a tape drive yet.>>>
Dean
We just got some literature from Pinnacle about a new magneto optical drive.
It goes for around $1600 and the carts are around $125. (compare $2300 for
Exabyte 8505XL).
The carts hold 6 gigs!!! Data throughput is supposedly 5-6 megs/sec. That's
fast!! The drives will be available this week. We're trying to get one to
test, but they don't have enough to send out freebies until three weeks.
I sent mail to Chuck to see if he had any ideas about compatibility.
Do you know if a drive (such as an MO drive) can be put on the Amiga bus so
that files can be transferred back and forth between it and the drives on the
Flyer bus??
My idea is that since these drives are so fast, one could have several projects
going on at once, taking data on- and off-line in just a few hours.
Let me know what thoughts you have on this.
BarryVedros
ISI
<<new magneto optical drive. It goes for around $1600 and the carts are around
$125……The carts hold 6 gigs!!! Data throughput is supposedly 5-6
megs/sec.>>
Wow! Hope this pans out as compatible.
<<Do you know if a drive (such as an MO drive) can be put on the Amiga bus so
that files can be transferred back and forth between it and the drives on the
Flyer bus??>>
I'd guess that these drives should be no different than a standard harddrive.
But I don't know if the Amiga bus is friendly to Flyer file format/clip
transfer. Let's hope that's an option.
<<My idea is that since these drives are so fast, one could have several
projects going on at once, taking data on- and off-line in just a few hours.>>
Affordable large-Gig harddrives open up lots of possibilities.
I think I'd still prefer to do library archiving to tape, but I could live and
work with a large MO drive and a couple of disks until I could pay for a
high-capacity tapedrive.
Keep us up on the info on this unit.
Regards,
dean
Barry,
With carts going at $125, the MO drives don't seem very cost effective. How
much is a DAT tape — $10-15?
>>the carts are around $125<<
Barry,
What's so exciting about this? Tapes for the Exabyte are about $10 and hold 7
Gigs. Do the math.
Regards,
Gary