----- Original Message -----
From: Jamie Furtner <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 1999 10:08 PM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] Back up loss


> At 12:08 PM 99-10-06 , you wrote:
> >I have a Ditto 2Gig backup system. I've found out It's less then
useless,
> >if you crash the HD and have to reformat.
> >It seems the catalog info for the backup tapes are kept on the HD.
> >You lose the software in reformat, you lose the catalog #, and have
what
> >appears to be a blank tape, after reloading the Ditto software.
>
> Are you sure the catalog is not retrievable from the tape? All of the
tape
> drives I've used(including Dittos 2GB) stored the catalog on Hard
Drive(for
> easy referencing) and on Tape. In the included software, you should
have
> an option to retrieve the catalog from the tape.
>
I have this same drive and I use the latest version of Iomega Backup
with it.  I believe that it is optional whether or not a copy of the
catalog is saved on the tape with the backup.  Even if the catalog is
not there, you should be able to restore the catalog by scanning the
tape contents - almost all backup programs have this option.  In any
event, with a full restore from a tape, I don't see why you would need
the catalog - just use the restore from a tape options instead of the
library restore.  Also, with the latest Iomega Backup, you can create an
emergency recovery disk that contains a restore program so that you can
reload a full backup without having to reinstall Windows or the backup
program first.  I've not tested it yet - I intend to as soon as I finish
putting together my backup computer this weekend - but I have booted on
the recovery disk and it appears to work fine.

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