Member Avatar for mommadoc

Hi Folks:

I'm new to this site, and am having a problem with some software backup program called Retrospect. Evidently, I did something wrong when I first tried a backup, and it seems that I can't get rid of that backup and try again. Anyone have a suggestion for me? The program came with a Maxator external hard drive, and is giving me grief.

If I cannot use this program, I'd appreciate information on how to back up my entire hard drive (C and external E), and then follow up with just a data backup. Do you suggest something like Ghost?

Thanks much

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Dani AI

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Quick, practical troubleshooting for the Retrospect/Maxtor problem (building on , and ): the symptoms you describe — a failed first backup that you cannot “start over” and Retrospect only offering CD as a target — usually come from one of three things: a leftover Retrospect backup set/catalog on the external drive, the bundled Maxtor utilities locking or hiding the drive, or Retrospect not being pointed at a disk backup set. The checklist below covers safe, reversible steps to get back to a clean disk-based backup.

  • Look on the Maxtor drive in Windows Explorer for Retrospect folders and files (.rdb and related files, or folders named like “1-Backup Set …”). Copy those folders off the drive if the backups must be preserved, then delete them if starting fresh.

  • In Retrospect use Configure → Backup Sets → Create New (choose a disk backup set) and explicitly browse to the external drive (or use Advanced / enter the E:\ path). Removable disks only show when they are powered/loaded, so make sure the drive is on and has a drive letter. (docs.retrospect.com)
    Retrospect: Creating backup sets

  • If Retrospect still “looks for a CD” or won’t list the drive, stop any Maxtor/OneTouch tray utilities (ComboButton/autorun) and retry; some vendor utilities expose a virtual CD or hold exclusive access, which hides the real disk to other programs. Check Disk Management and Device Manager to confirm the external disk is healthy and has a letter. The Maxtor OneTouch bundle is known to add complexity to the restore/boot media workflow. (manualslib.com)
    Maxtor OneTouch manual (notes about bundled Retrospect/OneTouch)

  • If there are existing .rdb files and Retrospect won’t show restore points, rebuild the catalog: Tools → Repair Catalog → Recreate from Disks, point it at the folder holding the .rdb files and let Retrospect rebuild the catalog before deleting anything permanent. Verify any recovered files before removing originals. (forums.retrospect.com)
    Retrospect forum: rebuilding catalogs from .rdb files

If those steps don’t help, a clean uninstall/reinstall of the bundled Retrospect (or temporarily disabling the Maxtor utilities) usually clears the conflict; keep copies of any Retrospect files on the external drive until a successful restore has been verified.

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Member Avatar for fry

hi mommadoc! i've never heard such software like Retrospect. so i can't give you any suggestions or sollutions. as for me for backup i use for quite a long time about 2 years, and i think it's the most convenient prog. there is an interesting article just to understand differences between TI and Ghost.

Edited by Dani because: Formatting fixed
Member Avatar for dr gummi

Retrospect is a backup program that started in the Mac world and moved on to PCs. It was for many years developed by Dantz software, a smallish operation and very highly focussed; however, lately it has been bought up by EMC, a giant corpporate, and has changed focus (shall we say!!!) to be more about big iron and less about single use.

The copy included with Maxtor drives is a bit challenging - it likes to build a recovery CD using all sorts of inputs (your original setup media, is one part!) which normal home users are very unlikely to have easily to hand; so the promised "one touch restore" process Maxtor are offering is quite difficult to set up.

For a simpler approach to backing up and restoring your PC, take a look at Acronis, as the other poster suggested. It's pretty good at understanding various PC types and supports external USB drives quite well. Don't be distracted by the various versions - what you want is the one that boots your PC off their standard Acronis CD. I have found a few PCs which disagree with the CD based approach but most of these are old and small and weird.

Ghost was a pretty reasonable alternative but guess what - that was when it was owned by alittle software house. Since it has been bought up by Norton/Symantec, it has become a little less useful, in my view.

Can you see a pattern here?

Member Avatar for mommadoc

Thanks for the input. It is helpful.

Member Avatar for JonathanM

Hi Folks:

I'm new to this site, and am having a problem with some software backup program called Retrospect. Evidently, I did something wrong when I first tried a backup, and it seems that I can't get rid of that backup and try again. Anyone have a suggestion for me? The program came with a Maxator external hard drive, and is giving me grief.

If I cannot use this program, I'd appreciate information on how to back up my entire hard drive (C and external E), and then follow up with just a data backup. Do you suggest something like Ghost?

Thanks much

If it is the full version of Retrospect and not Retrospect Express open it up, go to the Automate Tab, open up the Scripts button, select your script and from the scripts menu choose forget. Mind you, I'm doing this from a mac and not a PC but I think they are pretty close.

Member Avatar for mommadoc

If it is the full version of Retrospect and not Retrospect Express open it up, go to the Automate Tab, open up the Scripts button, select your script and from the scripts menu choose forget. Mind you, I'm doing this from a mac and not a PC but I think they are pretty close.

Hi Jonathan: Thanks for the input. Tried what you said. Have no previous scrips, so developed a new one. Tried to backup to external hard drive, and althouh it shows in Windows Explorer, Retrospect doesn't see it. It is only looking for a CD to back up to. Any further advice? Sorry it took me so long to note your original response, but I do appreciate it.

Member Avatar for mofo_heehee

Hi Jonathan,

Have you tried clicking on the schedule in question and then pressing backspace/delete on the keyboad, I have to do this when i use retrospect on a mac.

Ian

Member Avatar for Horace007

I used WD's settlement of Retrospect Express 7.5 and ran it. The computer crashed and 2 days later, Windows XP (Home Edition) told me 3 out of the 4 partitions on my WD External Drive were corrupt and needed to be reformatted. Stay away from this piece of crap. I complained to WD but only got boiler plate suggestions to visit their Help Website, which doesn't have any pointer available to any Restrospect Express 7.5 problems.

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