Post #51,546
9/12/02 3:22:50 PM
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Quick Project Backups?
For my home PC, I need a way to make quick backups of active projects in case the HD goes fuuuump.
Zip-drives used to be convenient for such because they act just like another drive in the file system, but they are falling out of style and becoming harder to find and buy. They are the closest thing to "fat diskettes".
Some have suggested that CDR's took over, but they are still too bulk-oriented to act just like another dynamic drive on the file system. (At least the ones I am familiar with).
I want to be able to do something like:
xcopy *.* /s mybackupdevice:*.*
(rough DOS syntax)
You can't usually write to CDR's outside of the access software via regular OS operations.
Add second hard-drive? Sure, but no off-site kind of stuff is possible.
How do other people solve this problem? Or do they?
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oop.ismad.com
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Post #51,564
9/12/02 5:24:59 PM
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CD-RW and UDF/packet-writing software
[link|http://www.nero.com/en/index.html#c1004534911820|InCD]
[link|http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/dcdfeatures.jhtml|[link|http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/dcdfaqs.jhtml|http://www.roxio.co...cdfaqs.jhtml]]
[link|http://www.stompinc.com/recordnowmax/rnmx-retail.phtml?stp|Veritas DLA]
These programs let you use a CD-RW disk as if it were just another read-write drive letter.
All are bundled with other CD burning software to varying degrees. There are also free read-only drivers out there (or built into WinXP and I think W2K) for the supposedly standard UDF format they use.
I can't vouch for the reliability of this option, I'm only just now looking into it myself. I've seen many reports of compatibility problems between programs and versions while trawling Google Groups for info.
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Chris Altmann
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Post #51,692
9/13/02 7:03:22 PM
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Re Roxio, CD as floppy.
Been using their CD-as-floppy hack, for a year (Part of their complete CDRW suite; came with the drive installed in machine). It's quick enough at 12X or so, behaves just like any other fd, hd, logical device. Could.. use CDRW disks but as cheap as they are - I just put in a CDR; have periodic full mail and other backups as archives.
When configured this way, if you attempt to open the CD drawer you get a message asking your pref:
A) Just eject it unchanged (unreadable exc. in another Roxio setup or til you put it back in the drive).
B) Complete the save, but leave remaining space for another session after another init.)
C) Complete the permanent closing so that it can be read in any CD drive.
Neat, I think.
BTW - has anyone any believable info re the expected # cycles, # of years re CDRW discs du jour? I've rarely used my handful.. I guess they could be useful for the paranoid who back up lots of stuff hourly, and would overwrite.
Ashton
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Post #51,693
9/13/02 7:09:03 PM
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CDRW lifespan and Roxio.
1. On the lifespan, I've heard numbers of around 7-10 years for the regular style.
2. On Roxio: Just about all the hardware junkies I know refer to this as "EZ-Coaster Creator" and use Nero instead. Now, if you've already got it, and it works for you, that's great, but if you're thinking about getting a CD-burning package, take my words under consideration.
End of world rescheduled for day after tomorrow. Something should probably be done. Please advise.
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Post #51,711
9/13/02 10:37:51 PM
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Roxio gossip.
It appears that, when they released V.5 - in addition to providing a number of free bugs, they also offered no upgrade credits for 4.x - thus pissing off many.. Personally I liked 4.x layout better, but having the choice of both, for the new box - arb. went with 5.0.
Thanx for the tip, though. My take already was - if any problems with this s/ware? do NOT 'upgrade' but look elsewhere. Nero sounds good enough for moi. I've had only a couple coasters - usually when in a hurry (!) direct CD <--> CD w/o copying first to HD = my bad, not theirs.
Ashton
How Many times do we need to relearn the point that 'being in a hurry' WILL take you twice as long.. :(
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Post #51,612
9/13/02 7:01:08 AM
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What about a drive cage?
It makes an ordinary hard drive semi-removable. Not hot-swappable, of course, but you can take it out once you turn the PC off.
Wade.
"Ah. One of the difficult questions."
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Post #51,663
9/13/02 2:23:48 PM
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Might as well buy a Zip-drive WRT price
________________
oop.ismad.com
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Post #51,681
9/13/02 5:09:49 PM
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cdrecord
I didn't know [link|http://www.fokus.gmd.de/research/cc/glone/employees/joerg.schilling/private/cdrecord.html"|cdrecord] ran under cygwin. Apparently it does. There are links to windows binaries for this command line program at the bottom of the page.
Now you just need a command line ISO image maker like mkisofs. Wrap it all in a batch file.
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Chris Altmann
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