Media set and overwrite protection

[Gastaldi]

New to BackUP Exec 11D. 

I'm trying to do backups on a nightly basis and I have a tape for for each day of the week for a 2 week period.  I would like for BE to realize the tape in the drive is from 2 weeks ago and erase the tape entirely and add the new data for that night.  Unfortunately,  everytime I put a tape in the DELL SINGLE TAPE DRIVE it doesn't backup, even though in  MEDIA SET it shows under overwrite protection until as OVERWRITABLE and under Appendable Until - INFIINITE ALLOW APPEND.

When I check the tape the next day it has been ejected without doing the backup and it usually ask for new tape to be inserted so it can do the back up.  What I would like it to do is take the existing tape erase the data and create a full backup.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[Ken_Putnam]

when you put the tape in the drive, run an inventory job.   If the info displays in BLUE, the job should run with no problems, if it displays in BLACK then BackupExec thinks the tape is still protected

Check the OPP of the media set.  If you plan to use the same tape on the same day every other week, set the OPP to 13 days not 14 days

[Gastaldi]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the reply.  I do run an inventory everytime I put a tape in the tape drive.  For instance the tape I put on Friday night showed up in BLUE as you stated and according to the report the next day it stated the tape had data and could not be overwritten and to insert blank media to continue.  Today, I put in a tape and it states it's overwritable as well as Infinite - Allow Append. 

I did change the time from 14 to 13 for the future.   I hope it works.  I Will let you know tomorrow morning. 

On another note, doesn't Infinite Allow Append mean that it will add to the existing data on the tape rather then erase it and backup the new data for that night, just curious.

Hector

[Lou_Buffetta]

Hi Gastaldi

Also check the following setting from within Backup Exec

-- Tools menu > Options

-- Select Media Management in the left column

--There are 3 choices up top (Full, Partial and None)

-- If Partial (the default) or None are selected - uncheck the box for "Prompt before overwriting ..."

If this box is checked and you submit an "Append" job as opposed to an "Overwrite" job, a box will pop up and ask you if its OK to overwrite this media. The trouble is most backup jobs run late at night when there's no one around to click OK.