Open File Duplicate Issue

[jreffner]

I am a Mac OS X and 9 user. I have used Retrospect for many years by duplicating my internal drives to various types of disks. I have had my share of disasters, and have duplicated my duplicate drive (firewire) back to my primary (internal SCSI) hard drive many times and all has worked perfectly. The primary drive was always duplicated while being booted from that same drive, and hence Retrospect was able to duplicate all of the open files.

 

 

 

Now, my mom bought a PC running Windows 2000 and I convinced her to duplicate her drive to an external FireWire drive using Retrospect Professional 6.0. She bought everything, I set it up and made sure that I selected the option to duplicate the registry data as well. I thought all was fine until I installed a larger SCSI drive for her. I intended to simply use Retrospect to duplicate the Firewire drive to the new SCSI drive, switch the SCSI IDs thereby making the new SCSI drive the new boot drive and then erasing the older SCSI drive and just use it as a scratch disk. Well, it was here that I discovered that Retrospect 6 Professional for Windows won't duplicate any open files unless you pay $600 for a code that allows the open files to be duplicated! The Mac Desktop version (comparable in price) does this without the need of a $600.00 code! What gives? I realize that Microsoft may indeed make an inferior OS that is difficult for Dantz to duplicate, but wouldn't one think that this feature should be included in the Professional version since it is included in the equivalent Mac (Desktop) version?

 

 

 

Besides being embarrassed after telling her how great Retrospect is, I still can't copy the data to her new drive. I can't boot from the FireWire drive (another Microsoft limitation), and even if I could it still wouldn't have the files on it that were open at the time of the duplication (because of the open files on the internal drive). My next thought was that I might be able to boot from the CD and then duplicate from the older internal SCSI drive to the new replacement SCSI drive, but then I remembered that she didn't get a CD. She just got the downloadable version. Even if we had the CD, I don't know if it's bootable like the Mac CD, and if it is, then would my idea work.

 

 

 

So, I ask: Since I'm not willing to pay $600 more to copy her drive, what are my options? Will the CD idea work? If not, then do we have to buy Symantec's Ghost? I am just floored that the Windows version of Retrospect would be so worthless. How is it a complete restoration product if it can't back up open files (unless you shell out an absurd amount of money)? If I am wrong, then please correct me. If I need a CD, please tell me how to get it without buying another copy of Retrospect, and if Backing up would work in place of Duplicating, then please tell me how to go about it. If I need to buy a new application, then which one?

 

 

 

I apologize if I sound upset. I really will appreciate any and all help I can get.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

 

 

Jim Reffner

[AmyJ]

In reply to:

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, it was here that I discovered that Retrospect 6 Professional for Windows won't duplicate any open files unless you pay $600 for a code that allows the open files to be duplicated! [/url] The Open File Add-On module is for our server product and designed to backup line of business applications that cannot be shut down for backup, and cannot be copied while they are open.

 

 

 

In a home enviroment, you only need to close all running applications to properly backup all files. Retrospect can back up most open files, including active system and applications files. If Windows Explorer can copy an open file, then Retrospect can back it up.

 

 

 

Windows does not work the same way the Macintosh works in terms of booting off of any attached drive with an OS. It's not a limitation of Retrospect - they are completely different Operating Systems with different restrictions, limitations, and file structures. Duplicating a Win2K system to another disk may not work in many situations. The biggest road-block is Windows itself and how the system/registry used in your configuration will react to new hardware.

 

 

 

Your best best is to use Retrospect to make a Disk backup set on the external drive and schedule the backup to run automatically.

 

 

 

You can also make a Disaster Recovery CD in Retrospect, after having done a first full backup. Should the hard drive crash, you can boot from your DR CD and Retrospect will walk you through a restore wizard. More information, and complete instructions, on DR can be found in your User's Guide (available in the Retrospect application folder > Documentation).

 

 

[jreffner]

Amy,

 

 

 

Thank you so very much for your response. So, if we might clairify a thing or two, I'd be even more grateful. You use the term Back up instead of duplicate. All I want to do (in the immediate future) is to transfer the data from a 9 GB SCSI drive to a 73 GB SCSI drive. I obviously want it to be bootable when i'm done. The OS is Windows 2000 Professional. The drives are NTFS, not FAT 32. I have Retrospect 6 Professional.

 

 

 

Can I DO THIS:

 

 

 

1. boot to the older 9 GB SCSI drive.

 

 

 

2. run Retrospect, and duplicate (not back up) the 9 GB drive to the new 73 GB drive

 

 

 

3. shut down

 

 

 

4. change the SCSI IDs making the 73 GB drive ID #0 and the 9 GB drive a different ID (#2)

 

 

 

5. Boot this time from the 73 GB drive

 

 

 

6. Reformat the older 9 GB drive.

 

 

 

Will this procedure work? If not, then what do I need to do? All i want to do is transfer the data on an older and smaller hard drive to a newer and larger hard drive.

 

 

 

Many thanks,

 

 

 

Jim Reffner