Removable Backup-to-disk folder, is it normally writable with file manager??

[colin_marr]

I have a couple of questions about using removable disks to backup.

I have a removable backup-to-disk folder on a removable media, but when I try to access the drive by the file manager it says its not formated and do I want to format it. However when I use the Veritas software to look at the jobs on the disk they list nicely, Im presuming they would restore fine. My question is: Is my disk corupted because we remove it every week and put in a vault or has Veritas done something to the disk to make it so that other files systems cant read it but veritas can. In other words is this normal that windows cant read the disk, but veritas sw can or is something wrong.

Secondly We are adding another removable disk into the system. We are going to use it for backups as well. However I have discovered that depending on the order in which I remove the USB drives, the drive letters get swapped around. This means that sometimes the backuptodisk E: gets swapped with the phisical drive of backuptodisk F: and the backup goes on the wrong drive. How can I stop this ?? Other than just being carefull about how I do the swapping of drives. (I suppose I cant really make a share because the backup to disk does not allow for this it just wants to see a drive leter.)

Thanks

[Ken_Putnam]

1)  No, Windows should be able to see the B2D folders and the BKF Files that are in it/them

2)  I suppose I cant really make a share because the backup to disk does not allow for this it just wants to see a drive leter.

For B2D on removable, this is correct.  Standard B2D will allow for directories on local or mapped drives.  At one point Veritas techs were recommending that USB/Firewire drives have standard B2D folders created.  Don't know if that would help you or not. 

Also, one fellow said that he got around this problem, by using DiskManager to assign drive lettes to the different USB drives.  I;m not sure exactly what he meant, and he never  expanded on this, but this may be worth playing around with

[colin_marr]

Thanks.

I think what they mean regarding drive letters is that if the drive gets in the wrong order eg e is f and f is e. for example, you can through disk management re asign the drive mappings I have done this and it does help somewhat. However if I unplug all the usb drives and then put them back in, in a different order the mappings can get swtiched around.

A good new option to me for Veritas if they are listening, with the increased use of USB drives, should be for the software to read the serial number of the drive and then map to that number rather than to a drive letter than gets changed around.

Thanks.

[Ken_Putnam]

should be for the software to read the serial number of the drive and then map to that number rather than to a drive letter than gets changed around.

I have always maintained that Removable B2D Devices/Folders should emulate tape drives.  Insert compatible media, inventory , and away you go.