[Coco] old backups, RESTORED!

[Steven Hirsch]

On Thu, 6 Jan 2011, Willard Goosey wrote:

> On Thu, Jan 06, 2011 at 08:45:39PM -0500, Steven Hirsch wrote:
>> No, I'm all set.  I've been using an LTO-2 tape system for a while.  One
>> tape holds about 300GB, so it's a one-step operation for the Linux server
>> and a second run to do my main workstation.  The hobby machines Apple 2,
>> CoCo, etc.) access all the working data from my main fileserver so the
>> backup goes along with everything else.
>
> Sweet.  I could never get my hands on a reliable tape drive.

Keep an eye on eBay.  LTO-2 drives were averaging $65-80 about a year ago 
and have probably dropped since then.  You can probably get a quantity of 
tapes the same way, but make SURE the seller has not tried to bulk-erase 
them!  LTO media are preformatted with a servo track and bulk erase will 
ruin them.  Catches a lot of folks by surprise, because the DLT tapes they 
resemble can be blanked.

LTO media keep a condition and pass counter in a reserved section, so you 
can use the drive's diagnostic software to evaluate their condition.  Tape 
life is extremely long if not physically mistreated, so I wouldn't be too 
scared about used ones.

For that matter, if your storage needs are more modest you can probably 
pickup a DLT IV drive for a fraction of that price (70 GB compressed 
capacity).

Both of these devices are serious approaches to data archiving and are 
vastly more reliable than rotary-head data storage (DAT and 8mm).  In my 
opinion, reliance on a rotary-head drive is a poor bet.  I've had nothing 
but problems with them - 8mm in particular.

>> Amiga is a bit more problematic.  From time to time, image the drive in my
>> A2000 by physically connecting it to the Linux box, but that's a bit
>> cumbersome (Linux understands FFS).
>
> xsurf is the tool.

I'll check it out.  Thanks!

Steve


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