Exabyte VXA-2e Firewire Tape Drive Software recommendations

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Level 1

100 points

Exabyte VXA-2e Firewire Tape Drive Software recommendations

Hi all.

I have an old Exabyte VXA-2e Firewire Tape Drive that I keep around to access the old tapes. Moving from computer to computer I eventually started using TimeMachine for backup to SATA Externals. I moved important stuff off of the tapes to get faster access to the stuff I backed up.

I am running out of space again and decided I am going to build or buy some type of NAS box. This will involve buying some more drives ultimately and maybe some new backup software that will run off of a server. I am thinking of just using Time Machine over a network but I haven't decided yet.

Unfortunately while cleaning some drives and getting rid of old software and documents to make more space for new stuff I wiped a system disk that was on the G4 this was running on. The Exabyte VXA-2e Firewire Tape Drive came with included software when I bought it. I am pretty sure it was some light edition of Retrospect but I can't recall. I have the old G4 (not in service minus drives), a Power Mac G5, an iMac, and Mac Pro Tower.

Here is my delema. I want to get the VXA working again as I still have some files on there that I never went through. I would also like to use it for as long as it will run as a redundant backup system. I have run out of space on all the drives I currently have and will most likely just buy an external harddrive but until I get the more expensive NAS up and running I would like to avoid spending any unnecessary funds. Since I can't locate the cd with the driver and software I looked on their site. Retrospect has changed hands several times and there is no availble downloads other than the Utility. Oddly enough I found my CD storage box and I have every other OS, Utility, Script, etc that I have ever used so I am thinking it's lost or fell out of the box during a move.

Can anyone recommend some very inexpensive software that will backup (and control) the tape drive? I am willing to use open source/free alternatives or to buy used software. I thought about an old copy of Retrospect but I can find any. The new stuff looks great but since the minimum will require slapping down about a bill ($100) I figured that I should just use that money to buy an external in the next couple of days while I sort out the bigger more robust NAS plan. I also looked for BRUs lite software but they don't sell it anymore.

BRU is a good product but it's out of the budget for now at least until I figure out the NAS.

I just need some creative thinkers to make some suggestions that I might be able to employ so I can start cleaning off some of the other drives because I plan to use the SATA I, II, and III drives I have to put in the NAS. I will probably use PCIe cards or firewire/usb host cards to ulitize all the drives. You might be wondering why I want to save so much data and it's really simple. I have asset libaries and client work product which I often need to go back to either because they want some element re-done in a fresh way or because I can actually re-use some work product on new projects for other clients. I often take mockups and demos and re-cycle them by submitting them on new projects so I can offer more than one choice to clients during demo submissions.

Anyone got any ideas?

VXA Exabyte Firewire Retrospect BRU-OTHER, Other OS

Posted on Jul 16, 2013 3:10 PM

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Answer 1

ivan54

Level 4

2,844 points

Jul 17, 2013 5:56 AM in response to Jon P

Hi Jon P

Which version of Retrospect are you licensed for?

I am encouraged when I see the line "Retrospect 6.1.230 for Mac Installer" on their archive page,

http://retrospect.com/en/support/archived

It looks like a full installer.

ivan

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Answer 2

Jon P Author

Level 1

100 points

Jul 17, 2013 12:52 PM in response to ivan54

Hi Ivan,

Thanks for taking the time to link to this. It will probably help someone else. Yes you are correct. I believe that it is the full installer. I made this post then went and looked at the box I had. It's Retrospect Express. I probably should have been clearer on that. I believe Retrospect Express is a light edition.

I did try that installer and it doesn't look like the version I was using. For some reason I am thinking it was version 4.x or 5.x Another issue is that the version you linked to required a license. I don't recall if the version I had needed one but if it did I would have kept it with the disk in a disk box I have. It's not in the box.

I also contacted Retrospect and sent them the license and asked if they could help or make a suggestion. Their reply was "The program is not supported anymore and due to change of hands we no longer have records regarding your registration. Please buy the new product"

Another issue is that I had someone help me set it up when I first started using it. I needed to get it up and running before I actually had the time to read the documentation. Dantz' first manual was probably the most confusing manual I have ever read. (Or as my daughter would say "ever, ever, ever, ever" kind of like the way Taylor Swift sings it). ;-)

I suppose I may have to start looking for someone on Craigslist who has an old retired copy they would be willing to sell me. Then maybe I could use the version you linked to. All I need is the ability to control the tape. Read/Write/Erase. I will even forgo the index rebuilding feature for when an index get corrupted until I figure out my NAS box.

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