----- 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. The PCBUILD web site always needs good submissions. If you would like to contribute to the website, send any hardware tech tips or hardware reviews to: [log in to unmask]