Q130946: Troubleshooting Windows 95 Backup
Article: Q130946
Product(s): Microsoft Windows 95.x Retail Product
Version(s):
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbtool win95
Last Modified: 04-FEB-2002
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The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Windows 95
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SUMMARY
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This article describes troubleshooting tips that you can use for Microsoft
Backup.
MORE INFORMATION
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Tape Drive Not Detected
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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:
Q124730 Tape Backup Units Supported in Windows 95
Problems Restoring Files
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If you experience a problem restoring files, follow these steps:
1. Refer to your tape backup unit's documentation for the proper cleaning
instructions, then clean the tape drive.
1. Set your computer to a slower speed (for example, turn off turbo mode).
2. 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.
3. Try to restore the files on a different computer.
4. 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
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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
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If the tape cannot be formatted, try these steps:
1. 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.
2. 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.
1. 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.
2. There may be a video DMA conflict. Start the format operation, then try the
following steps:
a. Minimize the progress indicator. If formatting still fails, try step B.
b. Change the video resolution to 640 x 480 x 16 colors. If formatting still
fails, try step C.
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
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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
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If the tape comparison fails, try the following steps:
1. Bulk-erase the tape.
2. Try a new tape.
Cannot Access Tape Drive and Backup Stops Responding
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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:
Q133240 Troubleshooting Device Conflicts with Device Manager
Q153471 Problems with Removable IDE Drives in Windows 95
Colorado Trakker Tape Backup Unit
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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:
1. Refer to the tape backup unit's documentation for the proper cleaning
instructions, then clean the tape drive.
1. Verify that all of the power connections are securely and properly attached.
2. Verify that the jumpers are set in a compatible mode (please refer to the
tape backup unit's documentation for the proper settings).
3. 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.
Additional query words: msbackup
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Keywords : kbtool win95
Technology : kbWin95search kbZNotKeyword3
Version : :
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