Force script to start using new backup Disk?

[Gintzler]

Hi all,

What's the best way to force a daily backup script to start using a new USB disk? We currently have "1-BackupDaily" on the set. I know it will automatically ask for a new disk, and call it "2-BackupDaily" when this one fills up but on want it to go to a new disk now.

Retrospect v6.1.230 w/ Mac OS X Server 10.6.8

[Lennart_T]

Retrospect 6? That was a long time ago. See if I remember correctly.  

Is it a file backup set or a disk media set? I do not think you can add a new member to a file backup set.

For a disk backup set, you can probably add a new member manually. Or you can have disk 1 disconnected when the script runs and Retrospect will ask you what to do. Then you should be able to add the new disk as a new member.

[Gintzler]

7 minutes ago, Lennart_T said:

Retrospect 6? That was a long time ago. See if I remember correctly.  

Is it a file backup set or a disk media set? I do not think you can add a new member to a file backup set.

For a disk backup set, you can probably add a new member manually. Or you can have disk 1 disconnected when the script runs and Retrospect will ask you what to do. Then you should be able to add the new disk as a new member.

It's a disk media set. I think I'll give the latter one a try. Disconnect the current USB drive and connect the empty one and see what happens. 

[DavidHertzberg]

Gintzler,

When you said "a disk media set", I assume you meant a Removable Disk Backup Set—which in Retrospect Mac 8 was converted into the Disk Media Set while being eliminated in its existing form (except in Retrospect Windows)—because the "superfloppies" it was intended for had stopped being manufactured.  So you got that working for USB -connected disks?

Anyway, page 154 of the Retrospect Mac 6 User's Guide mentions—in discussing the Media Action button in the Options Tab for a Backup Set—discusses the Skip action.  I think that's what you needed in 2019.  From Retrospect Mac 8 onward, Skip to New Member—page 96 in the Retrospect Mac 16 User's Guide—is a Schedule Tab option for an individual run of a script instead of a Media Set option.

Have you considered upgrading to Retrospect Mac 16?  That will still run under OS X 10.6.8, and I'm myself running that version under macOS 10.12 Sierra.   By reading from here to here in my Ars Technica thread about Retrospect, you could  learn what isn't in the UG and switch over in about 5.5 hours of work.  Since you're backing up from a Windows file share, maybe you don't need Mac OS Server anymore—which would mean you could run the Desktop Edition instead of the Single Server Edition of Retrospect Mac 16.  In any case, you could see if this discounted upgrading offer is still in effect.

Edited January 27, 2021 by DavidHertzberg
Add third paragraph. Enhance second paragraph to mention that Skip to New Member is a Schedule Tab option for an individual run of a script in Retrospect Mac 8 onward.

[Gintzler]

9 hours ago, DavidHertzberg said:

Gintzler,

When you said "a disk media set", I assume you meant a Removable Disk Backup Set—which in Retrospect Mac 8 was converted into the Disk Media Set while being eliminated in its existing form (except in Retrospect Windows)—because the "superfloppies" it was intended for had stopped being manufactured.  So you got that working for USB -connected disks?

Anyway, page 154 of the Retrospect Mac 6 User's Guide mentions—in discussing the Media Action button in the Options Tab for a Backup Set—discusses the Skip action.  I think that's what you needed in 2019.  From Retrospect Mac 8 onward, Skip to New Member—page 96 in the Retrospect Mac 16 User's Guide—is an Schedule Tab option for an individual run of a script instead of a Media Set option.

Have you considered upgrading to Retrospect Mac 16?  That will still run under OS X 10.6.8, and I'm myself running that version under macOS 10.12 Sierra.   By reading from here to here in my Ars Technica thread about Retrospect, you could  learn what isn't in the UG and switch over in about 5.5 hours of work.  Since you're backing up from a Windows file share, maybe you don't need Mac OS Server anymore—which would mean you could run the Desktop Edition instead of the Single Server Edition of Retrospect Mac 16.  In any case, you could see if this discounted upgrading offer is still in effect.

Thanks for that info about Retrospect 16. We've stayed with 6 just because its a fail safe for our department (It's a secondary onsite backup) Don't want to have to rebuild everything. Long story dating back to 1996 but would probably only have to rebuild going back to 2014...