Backup Set Tape size

[hinzinho]

Hi,

 

I've upgraded the tape drive from a 20GB to 80GB. However, under Retrospect > Configure > Backup Sets > Properties of the backup set, it shows used: 15.5G and available is 2.7 G. How can I reset the backup set and get Retrospect to detect the tape as 80GB??

 

I tried creating a new backup set, but it still shows as 20GB total. Any ideas?

 

Using Retrospect Server 7.0.249, running on Windows Server 2003.

 

Thanks!

[rhwalker]

"Available" is a red herring. Retrospect will write as long as it can.

 

You can, however, configure that number to any (even unrealistic) number you want (e.g., 50000 GB) if it bothers you.

How can I tell how much more space is left on a tape?

 

Russ

[hinzinho]

thanks for the reply! The reason why I'm asking about this is because Retrospect is asking for another tape to finish the backup. The tape clearly has enough room, but yet it thinks its out.

[rhwalker]

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The reason why I'm asking about this is because Retrospect is asking for another tape to finish the backup.

 

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Then Retrospect is unable to write to the tape.

 

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The tape clearly has enough room

 

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Are you sure?

 

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but yet it thinks its out.

 

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No, it thinks that it can't write to the tape. Your original post shows that Retrospect thinks that there is 2.7 GB left (advisory message only, has nothing to do with remaining space available):

 

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it shows used: 15.5G and available is 2.7 G.

 

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Russ

[hinzinho]

Yes, I'm sure! The server only has 21GB of data while the tape size is 80/160GB. I've erased the tape and ran a recycle backup, but it still requires two tapes for a nightly backup. I've triple checked all settings, recreated a new backup set and deleted the config file under documents and settings\all users\application data\retrospect. I'm all out of ideas to try.

[rhwalker]

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Yes, I'm sure! The server only has 21GB of data while the tape size is 80/160GB.

 

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That may be the rated size of the tape, but it may have a bad spot somewhere before 21 GB. Again, Retrospect can't write to the tape. Either the tape is full or something is preventing writing at that point.

 

You don't say what type of tape drive you are using, or the type of tape. The tape capacity that you quote leads me to suspect that it might be VXA-2 to an X23 tape. If so, have you tried the Exabyte diagnostics to write to end of tape and see how much gets on there? If it's not an Exabyte drive, have you tried the diagnostics for whatever type of drive you have, writing as much as you can to see how much fits?

 

Another test to make would be to erase both tapes, and then switch which tape you put in first. Do you get the same results in that case?

 

Some tape drives, for compatibility, will continue to write to a tape in the mode that it was first written (the drive can put down a "header" at the start). Sometimes this can be overcome by a "short erase" by Retrospect. Try that, see if it helps because it should overwrite the old header.

 

russ