Deep trouble, Please help. Urgent.

[midair77]

Hi, everybody. Please help. I have a 2000 server with Backup Exec 9.1. Last week my quantum tape drive die because of the problem with the leather. Our manager decided to not send it to fix because the cost to fix it is around 700.

Starting this week, I used USB hard drive to back up around 12 PCs. Back when I used the taped, the size of the full backup is around 3 Gig, but now I used the hard drive, suddenly the size becomes around 40-50 Gigs. I didnot anticipate that so i only have one HD available to do backup. I ran out of space on my 160 Gig HD just within a few incremental backups. I couldn't believe it.
I put an order for three additional hard drives and they are coming next week. I would like to ask why the size become so big? I thought that the tape drive might use some compression mechanism but then is it possible that the size becomes ten times as big when doing on the hard drive?

The real problem happened today, when I ran out of space so I deleted some of the files on one of the two partitions (backup to folder drives). I deleted all the files on the first and some on the second. I deleted the Changer.cfg and Folder.cfg on both partitions. Somehow, today I needed to restore data for one of the computer went down, but then the data on the backup hard drive wasn't there anymore. I have to use some purchased software to restore the data on the backup hard drives, but then the file Changer.cfg and Folder.cfg got named changed by this rescue software and my .bkf files too. I tried to changed it back again, but did not work. Now I can't restore data using these two partitions because i have to add it to the drive pool and doing so new Changer.cfg and Folder.cfg got created.

I wonder if there is any service from anybody that restore data from these partitions to the actual data by using Backup Exec, or indirectly or by any means to restore the data. Or if there is any way to restore them at all, please tell me if you know.

Another question, where could I find somewhere that is less expensive to fix my quantum 7000 tape drive because I still need to restore the full backup still on the tape..... I was stupid enough that I didn't do the full backup when I started using the HD, but then again, I would run out of space so quick.


Could someone here please help me? I think If I could not restore the data, I might loose my job for sure. I am so worry.

Thank you for anybody's helps.

 

[Davetoo]

You're afraid you're going to lose your job because your boss wouldn't pay to fix a tape drive that you have to have to restore a backup from tape from? You have bigger problems than backups, you need to go to your boss' boss and explain the situation to him/her to get the tape repaired. How much have you spent on the USB drives to use as backup devices already? Have to be getting close to $700 by now!

From a 3GB backup to a 40-50GB sounds like you're doing different backup jobs or different sources...double check that first. Or it's possible that you weren't actually backing up properly to tape before and the jobs are actually that big.

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[stevet3]

The changer .cfg doesnt matter. Backup Exec will re-create these. Just get the bkf files back and create a new backup to disk folder in Backup Exec and copy the .bkf files. Iventory and catalog the Backup to disk folder. As far as a cheaper solution...you get what you pay for. Look at what it costing you...you personally..and time lost, down time, et .all over $700. Probably cost you more with down time by now

Good luck

 

[YouEnjoyMyself]

Can I make a suggestion...Throw your boss of a cliff. Seriously just joking...I accept no responsibility's if you choose to go this route.

 

[midair77]

Hi, everybody. I am deeply appreciated to all your helps and suggestions. I followed what Mr. stevet3 suggested and was fortunate enough to recover all of the critical data. So I think I don't have to lose my job. After this I learned some real hard lessons that are always backup and backup and backup.

Thanks once again to everybody.

 

[mattjurado]

Yeah, I'm going to regurgate what some have already said. YOU CANNOT USE CDS, DVDS, USB HARD DRIVES, ZIP DRIVES, AND GET A RELIABLE EFFECTIVE CORPORATE BACKUP!. Those devices are intended to make data portable, and using them as your primary backup source is only asking for trouble.

Ask poor folks who have gone back to their stack of cds that they have used for backup, only to find they are all blank or unreadable.

$700 is nothing. If he didn't want to pay to repair, that's fine, but you need to get another tape drive!

Now you still have to get the drive repaired anyways!

Plus, it sounds like you're backing up desktops too? You should have users store data on the server, period. They don't know how to do that, then go to each machine and relocate it to home directories, so they each have their own private storage area. You need more space? Go get another drive for your file server. You really want all data in one spot and one backup to get the whole thing. Don't backup your os, you can always reload a server for 12 PCs in a couple of hours, its not worth an os file hanging up your backups. Just focus on your backup jobs copying your data nightly. And full backups are always preferred if possible, many database types do not like incremental.

Matt J.

Please always take the time to backup any and all data before performing any actions suggested for ANY problem, regardless of how minor a change it might seem. Also test the backup to make sure it is intact.

 

[SQLBill]

If you really have to backup to an external hard drive, I would suggest first backing up to your local hard drive and then copying the backup file to the external hard drive. To restore, you copy the backup file back to the local drive and then use the RESTORE commands. I even use this method with my tape drive.

-SQLBill

 

[midair77]

Thanks once again for all the wonderful suggestions. I am going to pick up and apply some/all of your suggestions.

Thank you so very much.