HELP: Need a faster way to backup?

[gizz72]

I was trying to help my friend back-up his HD. He has an A500+ with a GVPHD(SCSI) HD500mb 8mb then transport all files(using 50 pcs. High den 1.7mb disks,he lives in another part of the city) to my A1200 CDRW.

Can anyone suggest a faster way to do this??

As my methods are slow. Disk to disk. Both our drives has FD1.76mb. The speed of both high dens 1.7 is reeeeealy slow when copying, even with buffering. It makes no difference in wasting time(AAARGH!). Took us all day just doing it!!! I even came back the next day to finish copying. worst of all , there are times I have to Re-format a disk with a track error 880 or 1??? more. (AAArgh! Slooooow!:-x ) specially on his A500, on the A1200 a little bit faster, still slow. Any advice or help would be appreciated?? Thanks :-D

Good day to all Amigans!  :-D  

[QuikSanz]

Hi,

How about you you get the HD in your hands, Plug it in, and transfer direct from HD to CD in one whack.

Chris

[gizz72]

uh uh, mine is an IDE CDRW, his was a SCSI.


IDE Harddisk too. Unless your talking about special cables(SCSI type 1 <-> IDE)? I don't know how to make those or where get those cables?

Good day to all AMIGANS!  :-D

[QuikSanz]

Hi,

Ok, how about copy them to HD in one drawer, then when all is on hd, then copy. It's that or use Internet connection.

Chris

[gizz72]

@QuikSanz

Sorry, He does not have a phone line. Just bought his modem too.
Although a serial cable was in my mind. Bought it from a local computer store but I'm not sure if the connections are made for Amigas. they got diff pin connection. but i read in some web sites this is also slow, i guess.

Good day to all Amigans!  :-D

[Argo]

Use a serial connection to transfer his HD contents to your's, assuming you have room. It's faster than the floppy sneakernet method.

[Ilwrath]

Although a serial cable was in my mind. Bought it from a local computer store but I'm not sure if the connections are made for Amigas. they got diff pin connection. but i read in some web sites this is also slow, i guess.

Naw... Serial is serial.  No pin differences on the Amiga.  (The A1000 had a slightly non-standard parallel port, but that's something different.)  You do need to use a null modem and terminal programs on each Amiga.  Also, I'd recommend using an error correcting protocol, such as ZModem.

Anyhow, a serial connection's speed depends on what you compare it to.  Compared to 10Mbit ethernet, it's dog slow.  Compared to formatting floppy disks, it's amazingly fast!  And, really, once you get the transfer started, it's a good chance to go to the local pub for a couple hours.  :-)

[gizz72]

@Ilwrath and @argo

I'll give it a try next time. You think i won't fry either amigas I hope.


Thanks. Cheers :pint:


 Supposed the serial to serial cable I bought. Will it do without any risk of damage?


Good day to all Amigans!  :-D

[Argo]

Is it a null modem serial cable? You might need a gender bender.

[gizz72]

@argo

Yes I have one of the cables installed to my modem. (correct me if i'm wrong) a DIN25 to DIN9(this one would definitely need a 'Gender Bender'). and The other cable I bought is both DIN25 to DIN25. It fits snugly to both amigas but haven't tried it cause i'm not sure of the pin configs(a fix type cable). Would that be risky to try it?

Good day to all Amigans! :-D

[Ilwrath]

@gizz72

Yes I have one of the cables installed to my modem. (correct me if i'm wrong) a DIN25 to DIN9(this one would definitely need a 'Gender Bender'). and The other cable I bought is both DIN25 to DIN25.

You need a "null modem."  It usually looks like a standard gender changer, but it's not.  This device inverts the send/recieve in a serial connection.  

The standard modem cable is a straight through.  Plugging it directly into another Amiga won't work.  Picture it like this.  The serial port has one pin for sending data, and one pin for recieving it.  If you connect two computers directly together, when the first machine sends data, it's going to travel straight to SEND pin on the other machine, instead of the RECIEVE pin.  

In other words, the TX from one Amiga needs to be connected to the RX on the other, and vice-versa.  A null-modem fixes this for you, and allows a connection.  :-)

But with the null modem and a standard serial cable (and possibly a gender bender, if needed) the connection is as safe to the Amigas as using a regular modem.  :-)

[gizz72]

@Ilwrath

Thanks for clearing things up specially about the null modem.

 8-)

Good day to all Amigans!  :-D

[ksk]

Is there a Amiga usergroup nearby?

Someone who has SCSI controller could perhaps do the CD burning?
Or pehaps someone could borrow a squirrell SCSI adapter for your A1200?

Another option is to get IDE HDD to SCSI adapter. And move the data to the IDE HDD & then burn.

[gizz72]

@ksk
--Quote-----
Is there a Amiga usergroup nearby?

Someone who has SCSI controller could perhaps do the CD burning?
Or pehaps someone could borrow a squirrell SCSI adapter for your A1200?
-------------

Sadly, not very active here. Pretty much on our own.
Yes, I do have one PCMCIA SCSI cable which connects to my old SCSI CDROM. The CDROM drive is no longer functioning. I'm not sure if the interface still works. I was looking for it before. can't seem to find it. Still, it's a good idea and I need to test it. When my scsi cd was working, I can't detect it. That's why I purchased a FixIDE set to be able to use IDE devices.

-Quote-------
Another option is to get IDE HDD to SCSI adapter. And move the data to the IDE HDD & then burn.
--------
I found a friend that had a 2.5' 40gb hdd drives for his lap topPC. An interface that can be plugged in a standard desktop PC. Although he would need extra cables for pin 1 to power the drive. I'm not sure where to find a SCSI to IDE adaptor here. Thanks for the idea.

Good day to all Amigans! :-D

[Daedalus]

A null modem can also just be a cable, not necessarily a gender bender type unit. If you're handy with a multimeter, pin 2 should connect to pin 3 on the other connector and vice versa. If not, if pins 2 & 2 are connected, and 3 & 3, it's a standard cable and won't work. Shouldn't do any damage though, so try it!