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From: tankus@hsi.UUCP (Ed Tankus)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: DOS 3.1 backup/restore:  a dodge
Message-ID: <323@hsi.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Mar-86 09:00:29 EST
Article-I.D.: hsi.323
Posted: Fri Mar  7 09:00:29 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 9-Mar-86 09:10:59 EST
References: <518@imsvax.UUCP>
Organization: Health Systems Int., New Haven, CT.
Lines: 41
Keywords: Is it REALLY a dodge?

> 
> 
> From what I read on the net, I must not be the only one who has experienced
> ridiculous problems with 3.1 backup & restore.  My suggestion:  for backing
> up whole disks the "Fastback" program beats anything else going;  it actually
> uses the multi-channel DMA the PC has always been capable of i.e. reads from
> the hard disk and writes to the floppy at the same time.  For normal uses
> such as backing up one directory, the ordinary DOS "copy" is better EXCEPT 
> when one needs to backup a file larger than 360K, typically a database file.
> I have been using two brutish and simple-minded but effective little routines
> I call "cut" and "join" to break such large files into 350K pieces, copy the
> pieces onto floppies, and rejoin them elsewhere.  I've posted listings for  
> these on net.sources.

I, too, have used FASTBACK(tm). It costs approx. $175 (copy protected) or
approx $200 (unprotected). It is *NOT*(!) DOS compatible.

I backed up a file system and subdirectories using FASTBACK and using DOS 3.1.
FASTBACK took about 23 minutes to format and backup 26 360K diskettes. This
time is elapsed and includes about my time to insert each disk. DOS 3.1 took
18 minutes to backup the same file system and subdirectories. This, of course,
does not include formatting.

Design Software also makes a backup package that costs about $70 (unprotected)
that THEY claim is faster than FASTBACK. However, I think both points are moot.

What do you do with all your un-compatible backups if the vendors files are   
removed, destroyed, etc. on your hard disk or if your backup copies have been
blown? I feel the risk is to great. I would rather spend the time formatting
the diskettes and using DOS backup than using another product that yields
un-compatible backups. I think the risk is just not worth it. You, however,
may feel differently.


-- 

    "   For every word there is a song upon which inspiration lies ..."

    Ed Tankus
    Net  :  {noao!ihnp4!yale!}!hsi!tankus
    Snail:  Health Systems Int'l, 100 Broadway, New Haven, CT 06511