Does anyone know how to format a DVD for use with Retrospect?

[tomster]

I am rephrasing a question I asked earlier...

 

Using a Plextor PX-708UF on Win XP Pro with Retrospect Pro 6.5. Trying to get TDK DVD+RW to work as a backup media. Has anyone figured out how to get this combination to work. Specifically have you succeeded in getting the media formatted.

 

Retrospect adivses that you to "format the DVD using the native software" i.e. Retrospect does not have a format command that I can find. If you put a blank DVD with Retrospect open it starts erasing... and never finishes... (some feedback from this forum tells me it will finish... it just hours to finish - not very practical in a business environment)

 

Windows XP won't recognize a DVD for formatting purposes... they advise using "your CD burning software".

 

I have Roxio 6, but it does not have a format command... apparently only formats when you write data to the CD... and Roxio "drag to disk" is proprietary and causes compatibility problems.

 

Comments appreciated.

[kaikow]

Quote:

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I am rephrasing a question I asked earlier...

 

Using a Plextor PX-708UF on Win XP Pro with Retrospect Pro 6.5. Trying to get TDK DVD+RW to work as a backup media. Has anyone figured out how to get this combination to work. Specifically have you succeeded in getting the media formatted.

 

Retrospect adivses that you to "format the DVD using the native software" i.e. Retrospect does not have a format command that I can find. If you put a blank DVD with Retrospect open it starts erasing... and never finishes... (some feedback from this forum tells me it will finish... it just hours to finish - not very practical in a business environment)

 

Windows XP won't recognize a DVD for formatting purposes... they advise using "your CD burning software".

 

I have Roxio 6, but it does not have a format command... apparently only formats when you write data to the CD... and Roxio "drag to disk" is proprietary and causes compatibility problems.

 

Comments appreciated.

 

---

 

I've not tried using Retrospect to use a CD-RW as a backup disk.

Can Retrospect do so using the normal ISO/IEC 13346 format?

I thought REtrospect used a proprietary format when writing to CD-RW.

 

Why would not DVD work as well?

 

One would use a program such as Roxio's Drag to Disk or Ahead's InCD to format the media.

 

Drag 2 Disk in Roxio's EMC 7 and Ahead's InCD have format commands. Roxio's is alleged to have am option for verifying write errors during the format, whilst it is alleged that InCD does not check for write errors during the format.

 

The format used by Roxio is not proprietary, rather it is alleged to be a variant of the ISO/IEC 13346 format.

 

Click me for a description of ISO/IEC 13346.

[tomster]

Why would DVD not work as well?

 

That is the question.... all I know is that if you have retrospect open... and pop in a new blank DVD+RW... the game is over. Working with two XP Pro machines, one gets an endless erase process, the other gets locked - hard reboot only way out.

 

Anyway...if anyone is having any success with using DVD+RW for backups let me know. If I have any success I will post... but so far, no go.

[kaikow]

Quote:

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Why would DVD not work as well?

 

That is the question.... all I know is that if you have retrospect open... and pop in a new blank DVD+RW... the game is over. Working with two XP Pro machines, one gets an endless erase process, the other gets locked - hard reboot only way out.

 

Anyway...if anyone is having any success with using DVD+RW for backups let me know. If I have any success I will post... but so far, no go.

 

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Is there any media in the DVD drive BEFORE Retrospect is fuly open and ready to accept media?

I suggest removing any media and do not insert any media until Retrospect is fully open and ready to accept commands.

 

It is possible that the media is being grabbed by your CD/DVD recording software, even the built-n XP software, before Retrospect gets its chance.

[natew]

Tomster,

 

How long are you waiting? It really can take a long time (hours).

Erases take a long time in Retrospect no matter what. Have you considered using write once media instead? The time savings may make the extra cost worthwhile for you.

 

Thanks

Nate

[kaikow]

Quote:

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Tomster,

 

How long are you waiting? It really can take a long time (hours).

Erases take a long time in Retrospect no matter what. Have you considered using write once media instead? The time savings may make the extra cost worthwhile for you.

 

Thanks

Nate

 

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Bad suggestion. CD-RW has a fraction of the capacity of DVD.

 

IMHO, neither CD-RW ir DVD are suitable for backup sets.

It is better to use external hard drives, USB or firewire.

 

Copy critical files to C\D-RW or CVD to take them off-site if one wishes.

[tomster]

Reply to HK. We have tried removing all media before starting retrospect... and checking the do not run waiting or scheduled processes... but as soon as the DVD goes in... Retro is off and running.

 

What I was really hoping to find was a backup program that:

1) Recognized my Plextor PX-708UF without any gyrations on my behalf

2) Would accept DVD R or RW +/- etc.

3) Would allow me to either write directly to the DVD (format automatically) or give me an easy to find and use format command.

4) Would allow me to put a DVD in and view it to check the contents, rename it, format, erase it etc - without running off with its own processes.

 

I have pursued these questions and others for the last several weeks with my own testing, Retrospect forums, manuals, etc and every day seems to be another obstacle... and we were still not running backups in a predictable fashion.

 

Today, I decided to download demo versions of two competitive programs. Both allowed me to easily do 1 through 4 above within 15 minutes of the download... and formatting a DVD took less than a minute. Maybe I just got lucky... proof is left to the reader.

 

Thank you to those who participate in the forums and offered suggestions for my issues.

 

Regards,

 

Tomster

[natew]

Howard,

 

FWIW I suggested write once media. That includes DVD write once media, not just CD.

 

Nate

[tearay]

I used Roxio Easy Media Creator version 7 to format my DVD+RW discs before I began my backup process. When prompted to do so by Retrospect 6.5.350, I inserted the disc. Retrospect began by erasing the disc but it didn't take but a few minutes to complete that task. Then it started writing data normally. My burner is a Sony DRU-530A.

 

 

 

One strange thing though, Even after Retrospect has completed verifying the disc, Windows Explorer can't read it and shows it as empty. Does Retospect use a different format that Windows can't read?

[kaikow]

Quote:

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I used Roxio Easy Media Creator version 7 to format my DVD+RW discs before I began my backup process. When prompted to do so by Retrospect 6.5.350, I inserted the disc. Retrospect began by erasing the disc but it didn't take but a few minutes to complete that task. Then it started writing data normally. My burner is a Sony DRU-530A.

 

One strange thing though, Even after Retrospect has completed verifying the disc, Windows Explorer can't read it and shows it as empty. Does Retospect use a different format that Windows can't read?

 

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I believe that Retrospect uses a proprietary format for optical media, a very foolish design decision.

[natew]

Hi teary

 

Yes, Retrospect uses a proprietary format. The discs will not be readable in Windows explorer.

 

Thanks

Nate

[Partsman2]

I to have a Plextor PX-708UF which is hanging up.

 

Does anyone know if this issue has been resolved and what 2 other programs tomster was able to get to work?

 

Thanks

[natew]

Hi

 

OS, Retrospect version and media type please?

Can you explain "hanging up" any better. We'd love to help but we need more info

 

Nate

[repter]

I'm surprised to read that you should format your DVDs externally before using them in Retrospect. It's sure not necessary on my setup. Last night I successfully backed up over 40G on DVD+RW (with verification on). The DVDs came straight from their packaging. Or maybe these were pre-formatted or something ? They are Maxell 4x (but in fact Nero says they are manufactured by Philips).

 

R.

[kaikow]

Quote:

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I'm surprised to read that you should format your DVDs externally before using them in Retrospect. It's sure not necessary on my setup. Last night I successfully backed up over 40G on DVD+RW (with verification on). The DVDs came straight from their packaging. Or maybe these were pre-formatted or something ? They are Maxell 4x (but in fact Nero says they are manufactured by Philips).

 

R.

 

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THere are two kinds of formatting:

 

1. THe low level format that determines how "sectors" are laid out. THis is the "record" format.

2. The "formating" that determines what volum and file structure standard will be used, e.g., ISO 9660 or ISO/IEC 13346 (or a UDF variant). THis is the "(il)logical" format.

[repter]

Quote:

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1. THe low level format that determines how "sectors" are laid out. THis is the "record" format.

2. The "formating" that determines what volum and file structure standard will be used, e.g., ISO 9660 or ISO/IEC 13346 (or a UDF variant). THis is the "(il)logical" format.

 

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Thanks, but of course you made me curious now.

The long formatting that everyone is talking about here: that's the low-level format then ? So that means my DVD+RWs are already low-level formatted ?

The 'blanking disk' that Retrospect comes tell me about (and which only takes a minute or so... even for DVD+RWs that had already been used) is the logical formatting ?

And what does Nero do when erasing a DVD+RW, which I'm asking because apparently it doesn't get rid of all the peculiarities of the Retrospect format (see my new thread).

 

Tnx!

 

R.

[kaikow]

Quote:

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Quote:

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1. THe low level format that determines how "sectors" are laid out. THis is the "record" format.

2. The "formating" that determines what volum and file structure standard will be used, e.g., ISO 9660 or ISO/IEC 13346 (or a UDF variant). THis is the "(il)logical" format.

 

---

 

Thanks, but of course you made me curious now.

The long formatting that everyone is talking about here: that's the low-level format then ? So that means my DVD+RWs are already low-level formatted ?

The 'blanking disk' that Retrospect comes tell me about (and which only takes a minute or so... even for DVD+RWs that had already been used) is the logical formatting ?

And what does Nero do when erasing a DVD+RW, which I'm asking because apparently it doesn't get rid of all the peculiarities of the Retrospect format (see my new thread).

 

Tnx!

 

R.

 

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ALL media is low level formatted at the factory, that's the "physical format".

The "recorded format", i.e., the "sector structure" is the next layer.

Finally, the "logical format" is the volume and file structure based on ISO 9660 or ISO/IEC 13346, that's what Nero/InCD/etc. "format".

 

When formatting a volume, using, the structures needed for the volume and file structure are recorded.

 

THat just means that if such a volume is processed by software that understands the volume and file structure used, then the volume will be usable with that software.

 

however, if structures identifying other volume and file structures remain, then those structures:

 

1. Are meaningless to the standard volume and file structure, i.e., they just happen to be sectors with info, but those sectors are not par tof ANY known fiile, and;

 

2. May still be used by the alternative/proprietary software that understands the structure.

 

In particular, we designed ISO/IEC 13346 so that media could be recorded using multiple standards, in particular ISO 9660 and 13346, so that each software could use the media without understanding the other volume and file structure. That's why CD recording software gives the option of creating hybrid ISO 9660/UDF media. You can use such mediia on, say, an old Win 95 system that knows knowthing about 13346, as iot would look only at the 9660 sttructures. On newer systems, you could choose to use either structure.

 

See http://www.standards.com/index.html?standards for some info.