Xref: utzoo comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc:480 comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware:620 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ukc!cam-cl!news From: cca10@cl.cam.ac.uk (Christopher Anderton) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware Subject: Re: Tape Backup? Message-ID: <1990Jul19.101620.2987@cl.cam.ac.uk> Date: 19 Jul 90 10:16:20 GMT References: <4334@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> Reply-To: cca10@phx.cam.ac.uk (Christopher Anderton) Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK (Computing Service) Lines: 57 In article <4334@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) writes: >I am thinking of getting a tape backup to backup my hard disk on my PC, and >would like to know what kind of experiences that people have had with their >systems. Specifically, > > o Which brand of tape backup do you have? I use a PS2Tape Internal Backup Unit on a PS/2-80. > o How long does it take to do a full backup? About 45 minutes (upper limit) on a 115Mb disk though it depends on the fragmentation. > o What is the cost? For both drive and software you will pay somewhat less that 1000 pounds stirling but my memory is a bit hazy and prices have altered since I ordered. > o How much can you store on a single tape? 80 or 120 Mb (depending on format) > o Is any compression used, and if so, how much compression is done? Doesn't appear to be used. > o Have you verified the integrity of the backup? Yes, succesfully though on small scale. > o Which software do you use to do the backup? IBM PS2Tape Internal Tape Backup Program > o Any problems with it? No problems backing up. Human stupidity is always tough. The main problem is that this program needs 430K (approx) of memory to run in. If less than this is provided then the program can slow to a crawl. I have a separate config.sys for backing up (as I run a network server off the 80 I have quite a few drivers in there). > o Would you recommend the tape backup that you have? If you want regular (and incremental) backups off a PS2 then you could do worse, however I have limited experience of other backups. My old PDP backed up onto 5.25" floppies (YES!!) and before I got a tape backup unit (a couple of weeks after getting here 8-) ) backups (infrequent) were on 3.5" floppy. Chris Anderton -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Chris Anderton :: CCA10@UK.AC.CAM.PHX "Meaningless, Meaningless", said the :: CCA10@UK.AC.CAM.CUS Teacher. "Utterly Meaningless! Everything :: CCA10@UK.AC.CAM.CL is Meaningless."