Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watnot!watmath!clyde!rutgers!mit-eddie!bu-cs!bucsb.bu.edu!madd From: madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: Re: Comments on FASTBACK disk backup utility? Message-ID: <763@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP> Date: Mon, 23-Feb-87 14:50:54 EST Article-I.D.: bucsb.763 Posted: Mon Feb 23 14:50:54 1987 Date-Received: Thu, 26-Feb-87 22:00:08 EST References: <4394@curly.ucla-cs.UCLA.EDU> <436@kaiser.UUCP> <2405@homxb.UUCP> Reply-To: madd@bucsb.bu.edu.UUCP (Jim "Jack" Frost) Organization: ODO (Organization for the Disorganization of Organization) Lines: 102 In article <2405@homxb.UUCP> singhal@homxb.UUCP writes: >Yes FASTBACK is very good and fast but.... > >1) There is no way to tell FASTBACK which files or directories NOT to backup. >It allows you to specify which files or directories *should* be backed up but >that is not the same thing. It implies that whenever I create a new directory, >I need to explicitly tell FASTBACK to back it up. There is no way of saying >that "Backup all directories except C:\TMP and all files except *.BAK". >Consequently you end up backing more files than you want to and this >compromises the speed advantage. This is true. For some people, you'd lose precious speed unnecessarily backing up files. May users (like myself) want the security of a FULL backup. This is where fastback excels. >2) It does not recognize AT&T PC6300+ as an AT. Therefore you can store >only 720K data on a floppy, and not 1.2 Meg. FASTBACK is fussy about the >hardware so make sure that it can work in the "fast" mode on your computer. Why not try forcing it to use 1.2meg? It DOES have a documented switch. The configure program also tests to see just how good your drive is, and really should tell you the maximum amount it can store on diskette. It's possible it's flawed, though, so just set the drive size option. Even if fastback doesn't like the fast mode of your computer, it's been my experience that fastback is not limited by the speed of your computer, but by the speed of your drives. Our backup speeds using an IBM AT w/ 25msec Micropolis drive are phenomenal. They beat the documented speeds by over 20%. >3) The documentation is extremely half hearted. It is more of a "Reference >Manual" rather than a "Users Guide". This is true. You really need a good background to understand several of the sections. If you're afraid of techno-ese language, don't even try to read it. The instalation is set up for beginners, but the manual definitely is not. >4) If you like to use the file catalog feature (FASTBACK creates a file on >your hard disk which lists all the files that have been backed up, which disk >the file is on and other useful information) then you are forced to create the >directory \FASTBACK. I am fussy about the organization of my hard disk and do >not like to be bullied like this. This is its worst problem, and one that I wish they would fix. Remember, however, that many hard-disk style programs think in the same manner. It's a serious failing, but a common one. >5) It keeps the floppy disk motor running all the time. This precludes you >from doing a relaxed backup. Sometimes I prefer to backup my hard disk in >stages. Backup 20 floppys (takes 10 mins but feels like eternity), go for >coffee, and then backup the remaining 20. I wonder whether it is safe to keep >the floppy motor running for extended periods of time. The only thing wrong with leaving the drive running is that if you leave a diskette in the drive, it will wear out the diskette quickly. If you take the diskette out, no harm done, even for pretty long periods of time. >6) It does not tell you in advance how many floppys will be needed. If you >guess too few, God help you. When you use a floppy for the first time, >FASTBACK has to format it and this consumes precious time. DOS formatted >floppys are no good. This is definitely a pain, but we took care of it by buying a lot of blank floppies to use ONLY for backups. Just buy about enough to back up the whole drive, and you'll be sure to have enough. Eventually you'll even need them all. >7) If you want to restore a specific file and you do not use the catalog >feature (see item 4 above) then you have to search for that file on every >floppy. Even if you do use the catalog feature, in case of a hard disk failure >it is no good since the catalog file is kept on your hard disk. There is no >easy way of generating the catalog file from the floppys. And please don't >suggest that I should backup my catalog file on a separate floppy ! Another big failing. Again, not a problem if you really only use it for complete system backups. >Need I say more. I tried FASTBACK for a few days, and am now happily using >another product (DSBACKUP) which may not be as fast but is a whole lot better >AND cheaper. I'm hooked on fastback. Remember that there are a few other things about fastback that make it very favorable. For instance, it recovers damaged diskettes. Name even ONE other backup program that does that. And if you know of one, how good is it? Several independent reviewers actually tried passing diskettes through staplers (the example that Firfth Generation Systems, who make fastback, give in their ads). It performed flawlessly in every case that I read about. This gives the added security that we bought the backup program for in the first place. >---Sharad Singhal %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% - Jim Frost * The Madd Hacker - UUCP: ..!harvard!bu-cs!bucsb!madd | ARPANET: madd@bucsb.bu.edu CSNET: madd%bucsb@bu-cs | BITNET: cscc71c@bostonu -------------------------------+---+------------------------------------ "Oh beer, oh beer." -- Me | [=(BEER) <- Bud the Beer (cheers!)