Automating CD-RW Erase

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agass4u
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:15 pm

Automating CD-RW Erase

Post by agass4u »

Hello, I am trying to make an automated back for my server, and I cannot figure out how to make AIS erase the CD-RW before it writes. I know there has to be a way to do this. Please help.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Automated Erase

Post by Barry »

I'm sorry but the automated erase was going to be put n but we though this may be a dangerous feature to add. Can you pre-erase a batch of CDs? and change them daily? This way you'll still have prior backups in case something goes wrong.

Do you agree with us or would you still prefer an automatic erase?

Barry
agass4u
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2003 7:15 pm

Automated Erase

Post by agass4u »

I think that would be a handy feature to include. The way I am planning on doing backups is once a week on the weekeds. Then on the last week of the month I will switch out the cd-rw's with another set we have stored in a fire-proof safe. We will just swap the cd-rw's back and forth to save money and time. It would be handy if there was a feature that would autpmatically format the cd's for me and then just write to them. If you do decide to put that feature in your program, just be sure to have at least two error messages warning people as to what the feature does. I feel this would be benifical to buisness system that do not remove their backups from the cd drive between one to 6 months. That is just my imput, if you decide to include it, thats great but if not I will just have to make due.
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

Barry -- I think I was on the same track as Agass4u when I made my suggestion in the "Features" forum. My idea was to enhance the disk change dialog box to allow the user the options of erasing the contents of the new disk, and of relabelling the new disk. These options should only appear after the disk has been changed, to make sure that the user doesn't absent-mindedly erase and/or rename the disk that has just been filled by AISBackup (that thought hadn't occurred to me when I created my original posting). Yet another thought: with the disk-renaming option, what about AISBackup offering as the default new name the next logical one in the series (e.g. if the previous disk was CDRW25, then this would be CDRW26)?

OK, I'll stop thinking now :)
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

CD Naming Erasing etc.

Post by Barry »

The disk naming and erase options are present if you use the integrated CD Writer instead of the packet writing system. The auto-naming is also a feature of this option.

You may create a new script based on the existing script which may help if the existing script is quite complex.

Barry
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

Ah -- I didn't know that; my system has Roxio DirectCD. In the AISBackup program options dialog, "CD Packet Writing Supported" and "AISBackup CD Writer Enabled" are both checked, but when I do a backup, AISBackup seems to be using DirectCD, and I don't get the options to which you refer. I can't find anywhere in the "help" which explains how to force AISBackup to use the integrated CD Writer, probably because I'm looking in the wrong place. Could you point me to the instructions, please? Does it involve uninstalling DirectCD (which I'd obviously like to avoid because I need it for other things)?
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

AISBackup Integrated CD Writer

Post by Barry »

Hi Hugh

Click New Script
Choose base on existing script and select the 'Packet Writer' script from the list.
Next
Choose option 1, Use the AISBackup CD Writer.
Next
Name the script, and enter a CD volume name prefix
Click Next, Next.
Then click Run to run the backup now.

Barry
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

Thanks, Barry.

Cheers
Hugh
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

Hi Barry -- Just completed a run -- the built-in CD writer performed very well; much easier than using DirectCD. Everything I'd expect of a Guinness drinker :)

May I offer a suggestion about the dialog that appears when a new CD-RW has been inserted? When you click the "erase" button, you have to hang around for a couple of minutes or so while the disk is erased, so that you can click on whichever button it is to continue with the backup. It's not a big deal, but it's a mild nuisance if you're doing a bunch of other things at the same time and you're having to shuttle between the computer and whatever else you're up to. What about an "Erase and Continue" button (or some such label), which tells AISBackup to erase the disk and then carry on backing up to the newly-erased disk without further intervention from the user?

Cheers
Hugh
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

AISbackup Auto-erase

Post by Barry »

Hi All

We have added the ability for AISBackup to erase CD's during an auto-run when using the integrated CD Writer. AISBackup will only erase CD's that belong to the current script:

http://www.aiscl.co.uk/aisbackup_beta.htm
Barry
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

I installed the beta, and hit problems. When I try to do a backup (using the built-in CD writer; it's just a short backup, about 65MB when zipped) it appears to write the files to the CDRW, ejects the disk, reloads it, comes up with the dialog saying something's gone wrong and please manually re-load. This, however, does no good: I get stuck in an infinite loop as it perpetually tells me there's a problem with the backup and to re-load. I tried the "create" button using the same CDRW disk and then a different one, and then started the backup again, all to no avail. Nothing's changed on my system since I did a full backup (9 CDRW disks with no problems).

I returned to Build 156, and the backup ran flawlessly. Sounds like there's a problem of some kind with the beta.

Hugh
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

CD Writer interface

Post by Barry »

Hi Hugh

The CD Writer interface works ok with muli session CD's here, but we need to try this with some CD Writers that used to fail in this respect.

The CD Writer interface has been updated in the beta version of AISBackup, this fixes incorrect free space detection with some devices.

I have sent you an e-mail requesting some debug information from AISBackup.

Barry
Hughg
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2003 11:25 pm

Post by Hughg »

Hi Barry

Sure -- working on it as we speak...

Cheers
Hugh
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