MORE INFORMATION
Tape Drive Not Detected
Verify that the tape drive you are using is supported by Microsoft Backup.
For information about supported tape drives in Backup, see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
124730 Tape Backup Units Supported in Windows 95
Problems Restoring Files
If you experience a problem restoring files, follow these steps:
- Refer to your tape backup unit's documentation for the proper
cleaning instructions, then clean the tape drive.
- Set your computer to a slower speed (for example, turn off turbo mode).
- Try to restore the files in Safe mode. You can start Windows 95 in Safe
mode by pressing F5 at the "Starting Windows 95" message or by pressing
F8 at the "Starting Windows 95" message and then choosing Safe Mode
from the Startup menu.
NOTE: If the tape backup drive requires the existence of a protected-
mode driver, it will not work in Safe mode. For example, Colorado
Trakker drives do not work in Safe mode because VCOMM does not load.
- Try to restore the files on a different computer.
- Verify that there is enough swap file space. The size of the swap
file grows with the number of files involved in the backup, restore,
or compare operation.
Problems Backing Up or Restoring Over the Network
If you cannot back up or restore files over a network, try a different
network protocol, or try to copy a large file across the network with
the XCOPY command. This problem is usually related to the network or
network configuration and not Microsoft Backup.
Tape Cannot Be Formatted
If the tape cannot be formatted, try these steps:
- Verify that you are using a compatible tape format. For example, you
cannot format a 3010 tape in a QIC-80 drive and you cannot format a
QIC-80 wide tape in a QIC-80 drive.
- The tape may be bad or worn out. Try to format a different tape.
NOTE: While it may be possible to format the tape by degaussing (or
bulk-erasing) the tape, this will not correct or repair a damaged tape.
There are two reasons why you may be able to format a degaussed tape:
- The bad block count (which is stored in the header of the tape) is
set to zero.
- The bad blocks appear to be corrected, so that the tape works until
the bad blocks are detected again. If you use such a tape, you may
encounter errors again, or you may not be able to recover data
after performing a backup, since data may be stored in a bad block
on the tape.
- Try to format the tape in Windows 95 Safe mode. You can start Windows
95 in Safe mode by pressing F5 at the "Starting Windows" message or by
pressing F8 at the "Starting Windows" message and choosing "Start
Windows, bypassing startup files" from the Windows 95 Startup menu.
NOTE: If the tape backup drive requires the existence of a protected-
mode driver, it will not work in Safe mode. For example, Trakker
drives do not work in Safe mode because VCOMM does not load.
- There may be a video DMA conflict. Start the format operation, then
try the following steps:
- Minimize the progress indicator. If formatting still fails, try
step B.
- Change the video resolution to 640 x 480 x 16 colors. If formatting
still fails, try step C.
- Try formatting the tape in a full-screen MS-DOS command prompt
session. If this works, use Device Manager to look for a DMA
conflict between the video card and the floppy drive controller.
Tape Despools
If tapes you use in your tape drive frequently despool, the end-of-tape
sensor in your tape drive may be dirty or damaged. The end-of-tape sensor
detects the end of a tape by projecting light through a series of holes
near the end of the tape. If the bulb used to project this light is dirty
or is damaged, the light may not be strong enough to project through the
holes. This prevents the drive from accurately determining when the end of
the tape has been reached.
Many drive manufacturers recommend cleaning the end-of-tape sensor after
every eight hours of drive operation, when excessive dust or other debris
accumulates on the sensor, or when a tape used in the drive becomes
despooled. For information about cleaning the end-of-tape sensor in your
tape drive, refer to the documentation that came with the drive, or
contact
the drive manufacturer.
Tape Comparison Fails
If the tape comparison fails, try the following steps:
- Bulk-erase the tape.
- Try a new tape.
Cannot Access Tape Drive and Backup Stops Responding
If Backup is unable to access the tape drive and appears to stop
responding (hang), there may be a resource conflict between IDE devices in
your computer. For example, your Syquest removable drive may be configured
to use the same resources as your tape drive.
To resolve this behavior, please see the following articles in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
133240 Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager
153471 Problems with Removable IDE Drives in Windows 95
Colorado Trakker Tape Backup Unit
If you are experiencing random problems with a Trakker tape drive on a
parallel port, make sure the parallel port is not configured in the
computer's CMOS settings as an ECP or EPP port. If it is, use the
computer's CMOS Setup utility to reconfigure the port to a standard
parallel port. For more information about the computer's CMOS Setup
utility, please consult your computer documentation or manufacturer.
Iomega QIC-80 Tape Backup Drives
Iomega Technical Support states that these drives require new drivers from
Iomega. You may also need to verify that the following line exists in the
Config.sys file:
Buffers=30
For additional information, please contact Iomega Corporation.
Additional Troubleshooting Steps
If you continue to have problems with Backup, follow these steps:
- Refer to the tape backup unit's documentation for the proper
cleaning instructions, then clean the tape drive.
- Verify that all of the power connections are securely and properly
attached.
- Verify that the jumpers are set in a compatible mode (please refer to
the tape backup unit's documentation for the proper settings).
- If you have an internal tape drive, position it as far as possible
from the hard disk. If you have an external tape drive, position it
as far as possible from the monitor.