#1039619 - 01/08/06 03:37 AM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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philbo_Tangent
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The most cost effective solution might be to pick up a couple of 200GB or larger IDE drives, create a folder for each drive letter you want backed up (data drives, not including C:), and just copy the entire drive into each folder.
Label one drive A, and the other B, and alternate between the two.
This won't work well for drive C:, of course, because a Windows boot drive can't just be copied off to a folder, then restored... It would be missing hidden and system files, master boot record and similar stuff.
I have yet to find a good practical way to do drive C backups; every backup program I've ever tried just doesn't do the job.
What I'd LIKE to find is a program that will back up the C: drive, boot records and all, onto a bootable CD or DVD disk that will just restore the C: partition & drive to it's orignal state without dicking around with reinstalling Windows, then every program, then tweaking the stupid-a$$ default windows settings for next 2 weeks to make it useable....
(sorry, didn't mean to get into a rant here... It's just one more of the thousands of ways Windows is annoying.) If you find something like this, post about it here again; I'd love to hear about it.
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#1039621 - 01/08/06 12:20 PM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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IGW
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Registered: 11/23/02
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Loc: Los Angeles
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Originally posted by philbo_Tangent:
The most cost effective solution might be to pick up a couple of 200GB or larger IDE drives, create a folder for each drive letter you want backed up (data drives, not including C:), and just copy the entire drive into each folder.
Label one drive A, and the other B, and alternate between the two.
This won't work well for drive C:, of course, because a Windows boot drive can't just be copied off to a folder, then restored... It would be missing hidden and system files, master boot record and similar stuff.
I have yet to find a good practical way to do drive C backups; every backup program I've ever tried just doesn't do the job.
What I'd LIKE to find is a program that will back up the C: drive, boot records and all, onto a bootable CD or DVD disk that will just restore the C: partition & drive to it's orignal state without dicking around with reinstalling Windows, then every program, then tweaking the stupid-a$$ default windows settings for next 2 weeks to make it useable....
(sorry, didn't mean to get into a rant here... It's just one more of the thousands of ways Windows is annoying.) If you find something like this, post about it here again; I'd love to hear about it.
I set up the first audio drive and then used Norton Ghost to make a copy. I copied Audio Programs One to Audio Programs Two and the 2 partitions boot up exactly identical. Works really well.
At this point I'm gonna try the Exabyte using brand new tapes and buy a second SCSI for redundancy.
Ian 
_________________________
APC/PL-PLUS/Aardsync
C-800G/Trak2/TD-10/SP88X
QY70/Optipatch/MIDEX-8
DM-24/MSR6/HC-6/8200/M1710
CB4DRQ/96/52/SX3/Melodyne
10,000 SCSI/Deskstar
DA-P1/322/DTR-1/1029A/YSMp1
Whisper Room/AcoustiLok/Tara Labs
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#1039623 - 01/08/06 08:52 PM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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Why is the USB 1.0 unusable..?
My older Dell 420 Precision has only USB 1.0...
...and it's not a problem.
See...I'm not using the USB drive as an "active" audio drive...that's what the internal SCSI drives are for.
The USB is there only as a storage device, so's I can move files back and forth from/to the SCSI drives.
Of course...if you plan on actively writing/reading audio from the USB drive...then you will need the faster 2.0...but for storage and file transfer...1.0 works fine.
Oh...I believe your slower 10k drive will only "pull down" the 15k to it's slower rate...so you might as well just go with another 10k drive...
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miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1039625 - 01/09/06 08:36 AM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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Oh...well OK...if you are going to do a massive system backup...yeah, USB 1.0 is gonna' seem slow. 
I'm only backing up my daily/weekly audio work to the USB...and also burning to DVD.
Check this further...
...but I believe if you tie two SCSI drives to the system SCSI controller...then, the fastest transfer speed (not the rotational speed)...is dictated by the slowest drive...and you SCSI controller.
So...check all the specs of your planned 15k drive, against the current 10k...AND...against what your system will max out at.
In other words...you may not get the full benefit of what the newer 15k can offer.
Here's some music related "SCSI VS IDE" reading...
http://www.prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/files/scsivside
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1039627 - 01/10/06 10:37 AM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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Well...I won't give you a 100% on this...but there are scenarios that WILL cause a slower drive to bring the speed of a faster drive...
...down to it's level.
You are just focusing on the RPM of each drive...but there are other factors...SE/LVD/HVD...Wide/Ultra Wide/Ultra 2/Ultra 3...
Also...the SCSI controller in your computer will dictate the final speeds (access/transfer...NOT RPM)
So you need to look at all of the information...SCSI contoller...Drive 1 specs...Drive 2 specs...
...and then it may end up being the lowest/slowest common denominator.
Here's some more info I just googled (look down to the section "HOW TO PROPERLY MIX 50-pin & 68-pin SCSI"...item #4)
http://store.a2zcable.com/sccahetofscc.html
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1039629 - 01/15/06 08:44 PM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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A cable is easy enough to swap out and test.
If it's not the cable...try re-seating the controller card.
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miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1039630 - 01/16/06 04:26 PM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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IGW
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Registered: 11/23/02
Posts: 234
Loc: Los Angeles
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Here's the latest. I went to Fry's and left my system off for about 2 hours. Got back, plugged in my SCSI drive just for the hell of it and it worked . . . temporarily.
Thought for a minute and decided that the system being cool is what fix things. Stuck the SCSI drive in the freezer for 1 hour.
The drive is now working. I copied all my files onto another drive and I've had the SCSI on all night and it's still working.
Ian
PS I also bought one of those electronics vacuum cleaners and cleaned everything.
_________________________
APC/PL-PLUS/Aardsync
C-800G/Trak2/TD-10/SP88X
QY70/Optipatch/MIDEX-8
DM-24/MSR6/HC-6/8200/M1710
CB4DRQ/96/52/SX3/Melodyne
10,000 SCSI/Deskstar
DA-P1/322/DTR-1/1029A/YSMp1
Whisper Room/AcoustiLok/Tara Labs
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#1039635 - 01/18/06 07:47 AM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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Do you really need the immediate safety/redundancy of a RAID configuration...?
Those are usually the best approach for critical servers that run unattended 24/7...
...but for "stop-n-go" audio situations, where you are at the helm as-it-happens…?
Well...maybe if you are running a 24/7 studio where you needed THAT kind of safety margin to cover all the critical recordings that might be happening on the spur of the moment.
You know…where the artists would have a coronary if you said, “Hey guys…stop the take, the drive just crapped out…I have to switch to my other drive, so can we take it from the top?”
The way I look at it...if I'm ever tracking direct to the DAW, and the drive should fail at that moment...I'll just stop and switch/redirect my Write operation to the other drive...though chances are, I would have to stop and troubleshoot anyway...even if I had a RIAD configuration.
Otherwise...with the multi-drive approach, instead of RAID...it's all about making regular, safety backups to other drive/locations/media...and I do that for each session...I always end by making backup copies.
Granted, with the RAID you get a safety copy immediately/automatically...but, you also can't use that second or third or fourth drive for anything else, once you dedicated it to the RAID array.
I just prefer to have more flexibility VS the "peace of mind" that my RAID is constantly making a redundant copy...spinning away...making heat and noise.
Plus...it's a lot easier for me to deal with "individual" drives...VS a dedicated RAID configuration.
Though, if that kind of safety/redundancy is really desired...than yeah...a RAID array is an option.
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miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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#1039638 - 01/18/06 01:00 PM
Re: Driver Structure Backup
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miroslav
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And...
What kind os "speed" are you really shooting for...?
The SCSI controller is going to dictate that up to a point.
If you have 160MB/sec LVD drives...but the SCSI controller can only handle 80MB/sec...
...then that's it.
A RAID 0 isn't going to overcome that, I don't think.
You may really want to consider an "audio only" PC...and then go with onboard, all SCSI drives.
That's how my DAW is...all SCSI...and the SCSI controller is built-in...and not on a PCI Bus.
_________________________
miroslav - miroslavmusic.com"Just because it happened to you, it doesn't mean it's important."
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...altogether!
