Retrospect 6.1 has NEVER worked correctly

[Wh1te_Rabb1t]

Current System:

Mac Pro Tower 2x2.8 Ghz

Mac OS X 10.5.8

Drive / Burner: Pioneer DVD-RW DVR 112 rev. 1.24

 

Retrospect Version: 6.1.230

Device Access Version: 1.0.107

Driver Update Version: 6.1.16.100

 

('Do not backup ACLs' preference checked ON)

 

Main media: Sony DVD-R Ver. 2.1 (16x/1x)

 

Latest Error Log:

Trouble writing: “1-2009 test Set†(1073741824), error 203 (hardware failure).

Additional error information for device "Pioneer DVD DL" [0:0],

Sense > 70 00 04 00 09 08 10 0e 00 00 00 00 44 4b 00 00 00 00

(PIONEER |DVD-RW DVR-112 |1.24)

Catalog out of sync with backup set “2009 test Setâ€.

Select Tools>Repair>Update Existing from the Directory.

9/9/2009 9:29:17 AM: Execution incomplete.

Remaining: 203 files, 9.4 GB

Completed: 18 files, 959.6 MB, with 0% compression

Performance: 41.2 MB/minute

Duration: 00:24:08 (00:00:51 idle/loading/preparing)

 

For more than a year I've tried to limp this program into full functionality; the only success being a few small backups under 200 MB on single disks. The amount of times I have gotten a multi-disk backup to work I can count on one hand. The amount of coasters I've created since Retrospect 5 far exceeds the cost of buying any new upgrades. I believe Purchasing Retro 6.1 was a poor investment since the software has never functioned with any degree of reliability whatsoever.

 

Right now I am using Retrospect Express 6.0.195 on an older G4 Mac - it has bugs as well - only burning partial discs and stopping with a 'Device Busy' error halfway through, but at least it is making backup sets that are complete and retrievable.

 

Frankly, unless someone has a solution to make this 6.1 version functional, I will not purchase any more upgrades. Do not blame anything outside of the software; It is not a media or device issue, since both have worked reliably for years now using other software packages, and Retrospect NEVER worked even when the Mac was brand new and had no updates done to it.

[rhwalker]

It's no wonder that the drive doesn't work. You are using DVD-R media, which is unsupported with this drive.

 

From the Retrospect Supported Devices database:

Retrospect Supported Devices - Pioneer DVR-112D

 

Only DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD+R DL media is supported with this drive and Retrospect. CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-R DL media is not supported for use with Retrospect.

 

Did you bother to check the support for DVD-R with this drive? It just doesn't work. It's that simple.

 

Just because other software works with your drive doesn't mean that the drive supports the command set that Retrospect needs. Retrospect uses a different command set than some programs. See:

Why does it take so long for EMC Insignia to support some Optical drives?

 

I suspect that your older G4 has a drive that supports the command set that Retrospect needs. Get a supported optical drive, and your problems will go away.

 

Russ

[Wh1te_Rabb1t]

It's no wonder that the drive doesn't work. You are using DVD-R media, which is unsupported with this drive.

 

From the Retrospect Supported Devices database:

Retrospect Supported Devices - Pioneer DVR-112D

 

Only DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD+R DL media is supported with this drive and Retrospect. CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-R DL media is not supported for use with Retrospect.

 

Did you bother to check the support for DVD-R with this drive? It just doesn't work. It's that simple.

 

Just because other software works with your drive doesn't mean that the drive supports the command set that Retrospect needs. Retrospect uses a different command set than some programs. See:

Why does it take so long for EMC Insignia to support some Optical drives?

 

I suspect that your older G4 has a drive that supports the command set that Retrospect needs. Get a supported optical drive, and your problems will go away.

 

Russ

 

Convenient. When was this supported devices link last updated?

 

I did bother checking the supported devices before I bought the software. It even lists CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD-RW on the side of the original box the software came in.

 

I had over 200 DVD-Rs yet to be used that worked flawlessly in Retro 5. I would have never upgraded to 6 if this had been made apparent at the time of purchase.

 

I shouldn't have to buy new equipment just to run an older software program that was supposed to work with factory default equipment right out of the box.

[rhwalker]

Convenient. When was this supported devices link last updated?

Don't know, I don't work for EMC, never have.

 

I did bother checking the supported devices before I bought the software. It even lists CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD-RW on the side of the original box the software came in.

The issues with -R media developed about RDU 6.1.10.100.

 

Here's a link to the RDU version history:

Mac Retrospect RDU version history

(there are download links for the various versions in that document, too).

 

You might try regressing to RDU 6.1.9.102 (which, sadly, is earlier than the support added for the DVR-112) or RDU 6.1.12.101 (which added DVR-112 support) or RDU 6.1.14.101 (which supposedly fixed the -R bug) to see if it makes things work.

 

I had over 200 DVD-Rs yet to be used that worked flawlessly in Retro 5. I would have never upgraded to 6 if this had been made apparent at the time of purchase.

 

I shouldn't have to buy new equipment just to run an older software program that was supposed to work with factory default equipment right out of the box.

I'm the wrong person to address your issues. I think that your points are valid.

 

Russ