Path: utzoo!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!caen!uflorida!STATMAN@OAK.CIRCA.UFL.EDU From: statman@oak.circa.ufl.edu (Charles D. Kincaid) Newsgroups: comp.sys.next Subject: Re: 3 Questions Message-ID: <00945A39.F9EEF580@OAK.CIRCA.UFL.EDU> Date: 15 Mar 91 15:36:00 GMT References: <3654@dali> Sender: news@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU Reply-To: statman@oak.circa.ufl.edu (Charles D. Kincaid) Organization: University of Florida CIRCA VAX Cluster Lines: 60 Hello, In article <3654@dali>, icsu8116@ming.cs.montana.edu (Weingart) writes: >1. For those that have bought the 400mg NeXTstation what method would >you recommend for backing up your system. (floppies,tape,over a network >connection) I do not have access to any other NeXT computers in my area. > Concerned I was too. (That was Yoda talking :-) A very helpful NeXT tech person suggested the following. (Any mistakes in this procedure are mine. Steve Jobs is god, The NeXT is heaven, employees are perfect, and I am a mere mortal. :-` <- that's a half smile.) When you first get your machine do a level 0 dump to device null. This way all of the system software is marked as backed up. If the system software goes it can be gotten back again. It may be a _very_ big hassle, but this is for those of us without mass storage devices. Then the only things that need backed up are your own files which will take up much less space than the entire system. Do regular back ups at, say, level 2 every 2 weeks and level 9 every night. Have I done this? No. I actually do another way. Currently, I am on the UFNet through the department of Statistics. I can NFS mount my machine from our DECStations to a directory in my account (called next). Then when the DEC's do their backup it will follow the mount link over to the next and backup the files there as if they were on the DEC. You might find yourself in a similar situation and if you are in a similar situation then you can try to do the same. > >3. Does NeXT plan on releasing a tape storage device for the NeXTstation? >If the answer to this question is yes will the O.S. be distributed on >tape? > People have posted here that the DAT can be used as a tape storage device. Now I have two reasons for buying one. :-) In a response to this post (clairvoyant?) someone mentioned backing up on a VCR. When I take my NeXT home I could do this if it is actually possible. Any comments on this? >I am really close to making a purchase. The NeXT just seems too good a >deal to pass up. > It's an _amaaaazing_ deal. I (since the first cubes have come out but me with no money :-( ) have been a passionate preacher of the NeXT gospel. People shake their heads and say 'chuck, chuck, chuck'. But I have the last laugh. Once he saw my slab one unbeliever went out and purchased two cubes with grant money. (Jealous am I? You bet! It took me 3 years. :-) Go ahead, buy a NeXT. If you don't like it, I'll take it off your hands. :-) >Thanks for your help, >-tw >-- >* Troy Weingart, 1711 South 11th Ave Apt 611, Bozeman, MT 59715 * >* Internet: icsu8116@caesar.cs.montana.edu * >* oususatw@msu3.oscs.montana.edu * charles d. kincaid statman@sole.stat.ufl.edu <- NeXTmail