Removable drives

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Evil Elvis
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Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 11:04 pm
Location: peoples republic of california
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Removable drives

Post by Evil Elvis »

Recently experienced a major crash which seems to have changed something I haven't located yet. I have been using AIS to back up my 98SE system to an external USB hard drive. Until the crash, everything worked great.

Since reinstallig everything, I cannot get Windoze to recognize the external partitions (3) has anything but removable drives. Before, it saw them as individual hard drive partitions. I'm not searching for help with this problem, simply setting up the explanation fo the problem.

AIS now see's and treats the external partitions as removable drives. No problem there. The problem is that once I initiate the backup, AIS keeps asking me to insert the removable media. Can't seem to get around it. I'm stumped.

I really like the AIS backup and it has worked well for a long time. Is there anyway I can trick it into thinking the external drive is not removable?

I realize I will probably have to correct this through 98 but I thought I'd give this a try.

Thanx for any help.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Removable Drives

Post by Barry »

AISBackup requires that removable drives are given unique volume names (Right click drive / properties) This is because the drives may not always retain the same drive letter.

You can mark them as ‘non-removable’ by using the following option:
  • Control Panel

    System

    Device Manager

    Disks

    Settings

    Un-check Removable
Barry
Evil Elvis
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 11:04 pm
Location: peoples republic of california
Contact:

Been there...

Post by Evil Elvis »

I appreciate the response Barry but I had already tried the changing the 'Removable' setting. Keeps changing back. Guess I should have listed everything I have already tried but that would have made for a very long message. About the only thing I haven't tried is vodoo and that is because I'm not sure if the doll should be of Gates or myself. I built the external system.

I can live with the removable drive designation. I was basically trying to find out if there was a way of tricking AISBackup into thinking(?) I have inserted the media. Probably not.

While I am here, is there anyway to rebuild a '.dbd' file? I have one I inadvertantly destroyed. I'm my own worst enemy.

Thanks again. Still think AISBackup is the best I have ever used.
Barry
Site Admin
Posts: 1529
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2002 3:16 pm

Removable Media and fixing the Backup Contents File

Post by Barry »

Hi

I will assume that the drives have been given unique names, then this procedure should work:
  • Select the Script (Do not load)

    Manage Backup / Delete Script

    Tools / Load Script From Backup

    Follow the instructions and answer YES to is this a USB or FireWire drive?
The script will now behave like a proper USB connected drive backup job.

Here is how to recover a Backup Contents file (bdb)

If the Backup Contents file is okay on the actual backup:
  • Manage Backup / Import Backup Contents File
If the Backup Contents File is corrupt on the backup and AISBackup folder:
  • Select the Script

    Load Script

    Manage Backup / Validate (Test) Backup

    Un-check Test Read Backup Files (unless you want to test the backup)

    Load Backup Files

    Select one of the .zip or .aii files.

    When all files have been checked click Next.
The original drive letter is not stored in a zip file, this may cause some of the files to be catalogued as what we call orphans. These orphans can be ‘pointed’ back to the correct drive by:
  • Manage Backup / Backup Maintenance

    Right click a folder (drill down if multiple drives were backed up)

    Move Folder (and Sub-Folders)

    Choose the correct drive and wait a while.
Barry
Evil Elvis
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Mar 21, 2003 11:04 pm
Location: peoples republic of california
Contact:

Thanks!

Post by Evil Elvis »

Appreciate the tips Barry. I might try them in a day or two. Was somehow able to get 98 to recognize 2 of the 3 partitions as regular drives and make a backup that just did finish. Still not right though cause the backup tok over 5 hours. At least I got it.

Thanks again especially for the script rebuild.

Stephen Osborn (Evil Elvis)
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