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From: dougmc@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Doug McLaren, esquire.)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.misc
Subject: Re: Shareware 'fastback' wanted
Keywords: compression to multiple disks
Message-ID: <51459@ut-emx.uucp>
Date: 30 Jun 91 02:33:29 GMT
References: <1991Jun26.205629.27694@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>
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Reply-To: dougmc@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Doug McLaren, esquire.)
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Originator: dougmc@huey.cc.utexas.edu

In article <1991Jun26.205629.27694@ecsvax.uncecs.edu> aadm@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Atkins D. Michael) writes:

>now for my question - i would like to find a vanilla fastback-like
>procedure. maybe a shell that would work with pkarc/pkzip/et. that
>would allow consecutive disks for backup and that i could share
>with all sites reguardless of dos version.
>
>and leads/suggestions/recommendations would be greatly
>appreciated. 

My suggestion: ARJ210.EXE.

It allows you to make multiple disk archives, and has perhaps the best 
compression ratios.  It isn't terrible quick (at least not on my 286-12)
but it's better than using six zillion disks (swap disk ... swap disk ..
swap disk ...)

Now if you really want to get slick, and you have enough space on hard disk
to do this, this is what you do:

You tell it to make a big archive of all your files on your HD, broken up
into 1.2 meg or 1.44 meg files, depending on your floppies.  Instead of 
sending these files to the floppy, save them to the hard disk.  (Only works
on HD that are less than about 65% full (depends on exactly what type of files
you have, on how much it can compress them ...) Or you can send the output
to another HD.  You get it started.  Then go to bed, or go get something to
eat, or go out, or something.  Because depending on how big your HD is, and
how fast your computer is, you may have to wait a while.  ((To back up 40
megs on my 286-12 took up like three hours (If I remember right ...))
Then when it's done, you just start copying these files to floppies and delete
them.

Works for me ...  It's good if using few disks is more important than speed.
  Doug McLaren
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"Everyone should get a Rabbit Diesel before they get their first car!" - Me