Re: Tape Back up Question

[Rubywand <rubywand@swbell.net>]

Tac1138 writes ...
> 
>    Some time back I got from My local apple group a Text file describing an 8
> bit tape backup system for the //e It used the SCSI chain and required software
> Created by Tim Grahms (sp?) anyway here are my Questions.
>     1  Needing the software How do I reach Mr Grahms or possibly someone else
> that has a copy of the software?
>     2  In the text file a specific tape drive was mentioned.  I have had no
> luck finding that drive and I was wondering if there was another drive or
> drives I could use that would be compatible.
 ....


     Here are some snips about Apple II tape backup which may help ...


>>

From: Dan Brown, KE6MKS

019- What's a good utility for doing tape backups on the GS?

        Here follows an unpaid testimonial:  The Tim Grams GS desktop
SCSI backup utility called "GSTape"  works great!  I got it for an old
Apple Tape 40SC, did several backup/restores, and then ran across a 2GB
DAT drive. Yep, it worked with no problems, too!  (-:

----------------------------


From: Devin Reade

     As one of those very satisfied customers, I testify that for
someone with a SCSI tape drive, GSTape is very much worth the money.  It
is reliable and simple to operate in both backup and restore mode.  It
has an appropriate script capability and, although I have not used this
feature, it allows timed backups (so that you don't have to be present).

It is _much_ better than the RAMFast built-in tape backup program.  I
currently use it to backup both SCSI and Vulcan (IDE) hard drives.

____________________________



From: Phil Abel

020- I have a IIgs ROM01 with system 6.0 and I am trying to add a
     SCSI Tape backup unit. I have an Apple Hi-Speed SCSI card
     and 2 drives connected currently. The tape drive is off an old
     unix box. I have the ID set to 3. I loaded the system 6.0 SCSI
     tape driver but nothing showed up on the desktop. What's wrong?

     I have recently gone thru this dilemma myself... First of all, I
believe that the GS driver is partial to the 3M mechanism as found in
the Apple SC40 tape unit. I tried a Tecmar drive (whatever mechanism
that is) on my GS, and though it recognized the drive on boot as a SCSI
device, when I went into archiver to try to back something up it didn't
acknowledge the drive's presence, although the SCSITAPE device showed up
in GS/OS. I later found a good deal on an SC40 and hooked it up and it
works perfectly, though I am still curious about making the Tecmar work,
though I doubt it will.

#1. I have read that you should set the SCSI ID on a tape drive to 0
(lowest priority) if this will help any... this seemed to eliminate
annoying searching of the tape drive on boot.

#2. Another thing-- The tape drive will NOT show up on the GS/OS
desktop. It does not work like a regular drive. You need a special
program (aka Archiver in GSOS or I believe there are some 8 bit
programs, too) that knows how to store files on the tape.

     Open Advanced Disk Utilities when in GSOS and see if the SCSITAPE
unit is present-- then you will know the drive was identified ok. Then
the next test-- see if you can backup. Open  archiver, set your "backup
to..." device as SCSITAPE and hit start.

     When the thing says "insert first backup tape" you insert a tape
and hit OK. If it starts giving you errors or repeating the message,
then GS/OS doesn't like your tape unit. If it works... then go out for a
pizza or something while the thing whiles away at your files. Try
recovering selected files after the backup to make sure the archive went
ok so you can begin trusting in your tape backups.

----------------------------


From: Bill Harris

The device number (other than being unique) should not be relevent to
backing up to tape.  I've always used something in the middle range of
numbers for my tape, typically id 3 or 4.  This included when I  was
still using the RF prom for backup.

----------------------------


From: Rubywand

     RamFAST has a Backup function you can get to via Ramfast.system.

     You need to have the "HD Backup" option under the [O]ptions menu
set to "No" in order to use tape (instead of something like a Zip Drive)
for backup. Then, you can select [B]ackup from the main menu bar.

     Regarding the SCSI device number setting, 3 may be fine on a
RamFAST. Probably, you would want to remove any Apple drivers named
"SCSI ..." from the DRIVERS/ folder to eliminate possible conflicts with
the Ramfast driver.

____________________________



From: Glynne Tolar

021- What about tape backup on a IIe?

     The RamFAST has built-in volume image backup software (in
background).  The only backup software I know of for the //e for tape
drives is by Tim Grams and it only works with an Apple Rev. C SCSI and
the Apple Tape Backup 40SC (3m MCD-40). This software is no longer
supported though.

<<



Rubywand