Path: utzoo!utgpu!attcan!uunet!convex!killer!ames!pacbell!att!whuts!homxb!homxc!rps
From: rps@homxc.UUCP (R.SHARPLES)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: Help! Can't restore from FastBack backup!
Summary: Reply to Mark Granoff, mail failed in Ohio.
Keywords: FastBack
Message-ID: <3262@homxc.UUCP>
Date: 31 Aug 88 11:50:42 GMT
References: <39379@linus.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 44

(Sorry I had to post this but reply mail failed in Ohio for some reason)

In article <39379@linus.UUCP>, mhg@mitre-bedford.ARPA (Mark H. Granoff) writes:
> In an effort to upgrade from DOS 2.11 to DOS 3.10, I used FastBack to
> backup 15+ MB from my 20MB hard drive (Seagate ST225).  I reformated,
> reinstalled FastBack (v5.13) and invoked FRESTORE.  To make a long
> story short, I could not restore 2.4MB of data and executables.  (My
> system is an AT&T 6300 Rom rev 1.21, 640KB mem, 1 floppy, 20 MB drive,
> monochrome AT&T monitor if it makes a diff).

Mark - I would try two things: first call 5th Generation (if you haven't
	  already done so) assuming you have a legit copy.  They may be able
	  to help.  Second try to restor the disks, or the troublesome 
	  subdirectories, on another computer, preferably a true blue IBM.
	  Fastback makes use of some weird mechanical aspects of the IBM
	  floppy drives and hence, ran into trouble on AT&T machines.  I
	  don't know if ver. 5.13 has this problem.

	  When all is done, I would toss Fastback in the trash.  I haven't 
	  heard anything very good about their customer support.  The backup
	  product I use is called TakeTwo.  It allows you to select files,
	  directories, the HD, or wildcard matches for backup or no-backup.  
	  It allows you to restore individual files, directories, the whole 
	  drive, or wildcard matches.  It keeps track of multiple copies of the 
	  same file.  Best of all, it backs up everything in native DOS format.  
	  Why is this good?  Consider the following situation: you come into 
	  work and your HD heads south and you don't happen to have a spare 20 
	  meg disk in your desk drawer.  It will take at least a week to get one 
	  from Mailorder (given purchase orders and all).  In the meantime all of
	  your files are locked up on the backup floppies.  Or are they?  While
	  TakeTwo will only restore to a HD, it is very easy to scan the disks to
	  find a particular file (using a program like Xtree) and since the files
	  are in native DOS format, you can then copy this file to an ordinary
	  floppy and work with it there.  I have done this after suffering a HD
	  failure.  I think it is the most overlooked aspect of backup.

Russ Sharples
homxc!rps

NOTE:

The above in NO WAY reflects the opinions of AT&T.
These opinions are my own and the results of un-scientific and 
highly irregular analysis methods.