21 Jan
2002
21 Jan
'02
1:43 a.m.
I'm still using, regularly, and daily, the same tapes that I started using
back in '90-'91 when I started using Exabyte drives. I use SONY, DIC, Exabyte
(really pbl SONY) Maxell, Verbatim, and other makers' tapes, and, aside from
tapes damaged in drives with defective BOT/EOT sensors, I've not lost a single
tape in over a decade.
I do complete system backups on my system, via the LAN, every day. This
requires two tapes, which I manage by using two drives. I've been using the
same tapes for my dailies since day 1, though I do weeklies and monthlies on
other tapes, and, in fact, using different drives.
YMMV, I guess, but I think I've exceeded the 100 overwrites claim on many of
my tapes. So far, the only tape I've been unable to use to recover data on it
has been one that my dog ate when she was a puppy. I removed the tape and
installed it in an undamaged cartridge and did find a couple of files I
couldn't recover. There may have been others, since there were certainly
unreadable segments (where there were holes in the tape). I don't think the
media maker will take responsibility for that.
Dick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Doc" <doc(a)mdrconsult.com>
To: <classiccmp(a)classiccmp.org>
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2002 11:28 PM
Subject: Re: ot... at it again scsi tape drive in windows 95
On Sun, 20 Jan 2002, Richard Erlacher wrote:
> The MITechie should probably have stopped smoking that rope long enough to
> straighten out for a moment and read the documentation that comes with the
> drives. Had he done so, he'd have known about the extensive and verbose
error
> reporting that's available and the thorough
test and verification
procedures
the mfg.
provides.
And he probably shouldn't have believed the media manufacturers'
claims concerning tape life. Outside of Windows, 95% of the failed
restores I've seen were due to worn-out media (or dirty heads). IIRC,
Maxell claims something like 100 overwrites for their 8mm tape. I'm
rotating cartridges out after 20 overwrites, at the most. Tape's a lot
cheaper than data.
Doc