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Number   :  50
Date     :  2001-05-16
Author   :  james sadler
Subject  :  Re: xxcopy switches, etc.
Size(KB) :  4



--- Kan Yabumoto  wrote:
> At 2001-05-16 13:52, James Sadler wrote:>
> I would like to back up my entire hard drive to
> >CDRW. Of course this would span severla CDs. What
> is
> >the best sntax with xxcopy to do this job. Secondly
> if
> >I want to do daily updates to that backup what
> >switches should I use?
> > Jim
>
========================================================
> 
> Dear Jim:
> 
> The CD-RW based backup is getting increasingly
> popular.
> So far, the only extra feature in XXCOPY which
> specifically
> addresses the CD-RW based backup is the /SP switch
> (for span).
> 
> I assume that you are using Adaptec's DirectCD. 
> Unfortunately,
> DirectCD does not use the same SFN scheme as with
> the
> standard Win9x or WinNT/2000 file system scheme. 
> That is,
> you cannot save the same SFN in the DirectCD (you
> can
> easily examine how the SFN look like by using the
> DIR command.
> 
> So, for now, one cannot expect any CD-RW based
> backup to
> preserve everything. If you are expecting something
> which
> is a true backup which allows a complete system
> restoration,
> you would be disappointed.
> 
> Incidentally, I heard some good thing about NERO
> which is
> a competing product to Adaptec (Roxio) DirectCD from
> Germany.
> I made a contact to them but they are basically
> ignoring me.
> My understanding of the NERO stuff is quite limited
> and so far,
> I'm not in the position to endorse this one. But,
> according
> to their claims, they can create a bootable CD for
> Win9x and
> Win2000. But, since they did not let me use any
> functional
> package (despite their promise, and since I've been
> too busy
> to play with their stuff), I have not had chance to
> evaluate
> the NERO stuff. One thing which sets the NERO
> package apart
> is that although they have a product similar to
> DirectCD,
> their emphasis in the product is mostly Music
> related and
> the pure file system aspect (for which we and the
> rest of
> the XXCOPY user community are interested in) is not
> stressed.
> It is quite strange, as if they are not aware of the
> significance of that feature as a serious backup
> medium.
> So, I'm puzzled with NERO's stuff.
> 
> Now, back to the DirectCD thing. The XXCOPY /SP
> switch
> is a very rudimentary (quick-and-dirty)
> implementation
> and much to be desired. All it does is to pause
> with
> a brief message on the screen to let you swap the
> diskette
> (or the CD-RW disc) whenever the current volume
> becomes full.
> When you hit a key, it will first discard all of the
> existing files in the volume (treats as a blank
> disk),
> and start copying. The spanning feature works well
> but
> it is good only for a full (first-time) backup and
> not
> designed to handle a incremental backup situation. 
> For
> that purpose, we would need to create a "catalog
> file"
> which we have not implemented yet. So, we have to
> wait
> for XXCOPY to support a catalog file scheme to keep
> track
> of the entire virtual volume (which spans multiple
> media)
> and that's where the true SFN preservation feature
> will
> be supported. We have not even started this work. 
> But,
> we are keenly aware that an incremental backup for
> CD-RW
> (and future DVD-RW) will be very important in the
> future.
> 
> To answer your question,
> 
> XXCOPY c:\ X:\ /CLONE /NX0 /SP
> 
> will do the job.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Kan Yabumoto
> 
>
========================================================================
> 
> Thanks for your response. I am really confused.
My Bios allows booting from CD and it is several years
old. Further adding to my confusion is the ability of
my CD drive to be treated as if it is a hard drive.
My computer is a bit unusual in that most of my drives
are on those pull out trays that you see advertised.
In essence I can replace my hard drive and boot what
ammounts to an entirely different computer with
another hard drive in seconds. But I also have a
permanently mounted hard drive that is nothing more
than a complete copy of my usual C: drive. Just so I
can get reall sea sick I also use a CastleWood Ord
drive. The whole mess is sort of a hobby for me. One
of the horrors is that when I have a big problem I
have tended to back up the problem and I end up
installing the problem over and over again. There are
times when backing up seems like the worst idea in the
world. But more to the point. I think that I can find
some real good uses for xxcopy if my knees don't
buckle from the strain.
Jim


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