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1993-08-10
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IDTAPE Version 2.0 Enhancements and Changes Notice
=================================================================
This README.DOC file consists of four sections.
Section 1: NEW FEATURES
Section 2: ENHANCEMENTS
Section 3: PERFORMANCE & SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
Section 4: TROUBLESHOOTING
Section 1 - NEW FEATURES
Multiple Backup Drive Selection - When performing a backup, you can
now tag multiple drives to be backed up in a single operation.
Refer to Chapter 3 in the IDTAPE user manual for more information
on selecting multiple drives for backup.
Disk to Tape Compare - Data on tape can now be compared to the data
on a previously backed up drive. Disk to tape compare does a
bit for bit comparison between the data on the tape and the
data on the disk drive. This differs from the verify option
in that the verify only checks the integrity of the tape media
and assures it can be read without error. When the disk to
tape compare and the verify options are used together you will
receive the maximum level of data integrity assurance.
Security Erase - This form of tape erasure assures complete elim-
ination of all data on the tape by overwriting any existing
data with a set pattern of data. This prevents any possibil-
ity of unwanted data retrieval. Data retrieval on tapes in-
advertently erased by this method is not possible. Data ret-
rieval on tapes erased with Quick Erase is possible (using a
special utility). While a quick erase takes less than a
minute to perform, its mode of erasure is less secure, similar
to DOS's delete command. A full security erase can take up to
two hours to complete.
Mouse Support - Most operations which can be performed on the key-
board can now be performed with a mouse. On most mice, the
left button performs the same function as pressing the "Enter"
key and the right button performs the same function as
pressing the "Escape" key.
IDTAPE Setup Program - IDTAPE now incorporates a setup program which
"remembers" any of the optional command line parameters you
may use to start the program. If you previously used a
command line parameter such as /NOCON you typed IDTAPE /NOCON
to start IDTAPE. Now, after using the parameter on the
ISETUP.EXE setup file (example: ISETUP /NOCON), IDTAPE will
remember that you use the /NOCON parameter and will start
with it using only TAPE at the command prompt.
Section 2 - ENHANCEMENTS
Expanded Memory (EMS 4.0) Support. - IDTAPE automatically uses
expanded memory if it is available in your system. To be
beneficial, there must be at least 512K of expanded memory
available before running IDTAPE. Use of expanded memory allows
IDTAPE to back up a larger number of files than without using
expanded memory. If desired, the EMS support can be disabled
by using the /WIN switch when starting IDTAPE.
Full Novell 386 Support - Previously, IDTAPE could only back up data
files which resided on a mapped network drive. Now IDTAPE has
the capability to back up Novell 386 bindery files as well as
Macintosh data files. Refer to appendix A of the IDTAPE user
manual for more information.
Quiet Macros - When creating macros in previous IDTAPE versions, it was
required that the actual operations be performed to their duration.
This meant waiting for IDTAPE to complete whatever operation you
selected (such as a backup) before the next operation could be
recorded into the macro. With IDTAPE version 2.0, keystrokes are
recorded without actually performing the selected operation. This
allows easier and shorter creation of macros.
Microsoft Windows Standard Mode Support - Using the supplied PIF file,
it is possible to run IDTAPE in Windows' Standard Mode. This is
done when starting windows by typing WIN/S or WIN/2. If you are
running in Enhanced mode and attempt to launch IDTAPE, you will be
given a message that IDTAPE cannot be run in Enhanced mode.
Section 3 - PERFORMANCE & SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
General Information
IDTAPE performance is best when run on systems with a minimum of
512K free memory and at least 20 buffers specified in the
CONFIG.SYS file. In systems with less free memory and available
buffers, IDTAPE's performance may be degraded.
Systems which run at slower processor speeds (16mhz and below)
may not be able to keep data moving to the tape drive fast
enough to allow it to "stream". Streaming allows the drive to
save/restore data at its fastest possible rate. A non stream-
ing condition primarily occurs while using data compression on
lower performance systems and on hard disks with severely frag-
mented files. However, depending on size of the file and the
type of data being compressed, even high performance systems
may occasionally run through a brief "non streaming" period.
Whether or not the drive streams, data integrity is intact.
Streaming is simply a gauge of back up/restore performance.
SCSI Controllers
Certain SCSI disk controllers may have a negative effect on
IDTAPE's performance which can prevent the drive from streaming.
These high performance controllers usually utilize bus mastering.
Some examples of these cards are the Adaptec 15xx, 16xx, 17xx
and the Ultrastor 24F. There are several methods for addressing
this problem, any of which may work in a particular system
configuration. Listed are a few suggestions for getting better
back up/restore performance on these systems.
1. Set the systems "Turbo" switch to Low for the duration of
the backup. Often the backup will perform much faster with
this switch on Low than on High.
2. Run IDTAPE using the /500KB parameter. This mode eliminates
any confusion that the floppy controller may have in identifying
the tape drive's data transfer rate.
3. Adjust the system's Bus ON rate to a number which allows
both acceptable hard drive performance and better tape drive
performance. On systems using an Adaptec 1542 controller &
the ASPI4DOS.SYS driver the BUS ON rate can be adjusted by
adding a parameter to the ASPI4DOS driver. The exact BUS ON
number may vary from system to system and can range anywhere
from /N3 to /N7. The format in the CONFIG.SYS for this para-
meter is:
DEVICE=ASPI4DOS.SYS /N#
Where # stands for any number from 3 to 7. Consult the
documentation which came with the system for more information.
Note: improper setting of these parameters, though not data
threatening, can have a negative effect on overall system
performance.
If you are not using the ASPI4DOS driver you may create an
executable program with the DOS debugger. This small COM file
will re-program the BUS ON TIME to a value that will work for
your system.
To create the program follow these steps:
- Create the following text file using the DOS editor and name
it AHA.
----------the text below this line is in the file AHA----------
A 100
MOV DX, 330
IN AL, DX
TEST AL, 10
JZ 100
INC DX
MOV AL, 7
OUT DX, AL
MOV CX, FFFF
LOOP 10F
MOV AL, 3 ;<----number can be any number from 3 to 7
OUT DX, AL
MOV CX, FFFF
LOOP 117
INC DX
IN AL, DX
TEST AL, 84
JZ 11A
MOV AX, 4C00
INT 21
;<----this is a blank line
NAHA.COM
RCX
24
W
Q
----------the text above this line is in the File AHA----------
- Create the File AHA.COM by using the DOS debugger.
C:\DEBUG < AHA
When this is complete you will have created a File with the name
AHA.COM. You should then edit your AUTOEXEC.BAT File to include
a call to AHA during the computer boot sequence.
Novell Security Issue
When the Global Netware Rights are restored and a user has been
deleted since the backup was performed, IDTAPE will restore
the user with all Rights and Privileges, but will change the
user password. This will require the system administrator to
set up a new password before the user will be allowed to login.
Novell Mapped Drives
When a path is mapped to a Netware logical drive and you select
that drive for a complete backup, you will only be backing up the
files in the mapped directory and all sub-directories that are
directly accessable from the mapped directory.
EXAMPLE:
ROOT
│
PUBLIC
│
┌──────┴──────┐
│ │
-------│------- │
Logical drive F: is mapped | │ | │
to '\PUBLIC\MAPDIR' and | MAPDIR | NOTMAP
you select drive 'F' for a | │ | │
complete backup, all files | │ | │
in these directories will --->| ┌──┴──┐ | ┌──┴──┐
be backed up. No files in | │ │ | │ │
any other direcories will | SUB1 SUB2 | SUB3 SUB4
be backed up to tape. | |
---------------
If you want to backup all the files on your Novell file server
you must map a logical drive letter to the disk drive's root
directory and select that drive letter during the backup.
EXAMPLE:
C:\MAP P:=SYS:
You will now select logical drive letter 'P' when prompted to
select a drive to backup.
EISA Bus Computers
When running the TAPE software on an EISA bus computer, you
may encounter long Backup and Restore times. This happens when
the tape drive is prevented from streaming because some other
device (Hard Drives/Controllers) is not freeing the I/O bus often
enough. You may experience better results by turning the 'TURBO'
mode off. Most computers will turn off the turbo mode from the
keyboard with the key sequence <CTRL><ALT><-> and turned back on
with the key sequence <CTRL><ALT><+>. The command line option
/NOCON may reduce the total time required to complete the Backup.
This option will fill all available buffers before attempting to
write to tape so you will experience many start/stop actions from
the tape drive, this option is not recommended unless satisfactory
times are not experienced using the first option.
Section 4 - TROUBLESHOOTING
GTF 213 & GTF 214
Some floppy controller chip sets are not completely compatible
with IDTAPE in its default mode. If you are having problems with
the software/drive locking up and/or giving a GTF213 or GTF214
error, you may have one of these chip sets in your systems. This
problem is usually resolved by specifying the /SMC switch when
starting IDTAPE. You may set the /SMC option so that you will not
have to specify the /SMC option every time you run IDTAPE by running
the ISETUP program as shown in the following example:
ISETUP /SMC
Refer to "Using ISETUP" on page 61 of the Software User Guide
for additional information.
Disk Error 6
Disk error 6 is an invalid file handle. If you receive this
error you can do the following:
1. Run CHKDSK/F from the DOS prompt. Observe if there are
any cross linked files and answer YES when prompted whether or
not to fix the file.
2. De-fragment your hard disk and try the backup again.
3. Check the file name of the last file displayed on the
computer screen for an invalid character. An example of a
file with an invalid character could be a name containing a
character not usually used in DOS's naming convention such as
"AUT:EXEC.BAT". If there is an invalid character in the file
name, either rename the file, delete the file, or exclude the
file from the backup.
4. Temporarily turn off your Virus Scan software or TSR.
Lantastic Shared Resource Name Problem
Users of Lantastic networks are not to use the server resource
directory as a shared resource or logical drive. If a user
wants to use a logical drive as a Lan directory the following
procedure should be done on the server.
1. Load Net Manager.
2. Choose shared resources management at the main menu.
3. Press the Ins (insert) key to add a resource.
4. Enter shared resource name "landir".
5. Enter true path (e.g. C:\lantasti) or directory in which
lantastic is installed.
6. Exit.
Do not use the "Dot" (.) directory as a shared resource or
logical drive on user workstation.
Macro Compatibility
Because of the new features added to this version, macros made
with previous versions of IDTAPE are not compatible with this
version. However, with the new Quiet Macro feature, old macros
may easily and quickly be reproduced and even enhanced by using
some of the new features like disk to tape compare.