Current Shareware 1994 January/SHAR194.ISO/sys_util/tbu20.zip/README.DOC

Text File | 1993-08-10 | 14KB | 320 lines

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.