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BACKPACK 250 Backup for DOS, Version 3.1
MicroSolutions Computer Products, Inc. 

Copyright 1994, Arcada Software, Inc.
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This file contains important information that became
available after the written documentation was completed.

The following subjects are discussed:

1.   Installation
2.   Memory Requirements
3.   Tape Format Incompatibilities
4.   Tape Despooling
5.   Compatibility Test Failure
6.   Running BACKPACK 250 Backup under DesqView
7.   Compressed Drives
8.   Installing BACKPACK 250 Backup on a System with Stacker
9.   The DOS Append Command
10.  Setup File Compatibility with BACKPACK 250 Backup for Windows
11.  Laptop Power Management Conflicts
12.  Parallel Port Drive Configuration
13.  Parallel Port Drive IRQ Conflict With Sound Cards
14.  Maximum Parallel Port Cable Length

To print this file, type COPY README.TXT PRN at the DOS
prompt.

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1.   Installation
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BACKPACK 250 Backup for DOS will not install or operate correctly 
from a DOS box within Windows. It must be installed and operated
directly from the DOS prompt.

The FILES command in your CONFIG.SYS file must be set to 10
or more files.

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2.   Memory Requirements
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BACKPACK 250 Backup for DOS requires at least 512K of free memory.
Some parallel port tape drives may require up to 520K to work.
To check your free memory, type MEM at the MS-DOS prompt. To
free memory, remove any TSRs before running BACKPACK 250 Backup.
See your system documentation for other methods.

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3.   Tape Format Incompatibilities
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Because of inconsistencies in the formatting process used by 
different tape drives, it is highly recommended that you 
format tapes in the drive where you will use them.

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4.   Tape Despooling
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If a tape "despools" (comes loose from the cartridge capstan,
a very rare occurrence), it may be necessary to turn the drive's 
power off and on again or to reboot your system to clear the 
drive.

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5.   Compatibility Test Failure
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The compatibility test consists of a small backup and
compare, automatically performed by BACKPACK 250 Backup to verify
that reliable backups can be performed with your current
configuration.

The most common cause of compatibility test failure is DMA
error.  Therefore, when the compatibility test fails, BACKPACK 250 
Backup automatically resets the DMA (Direct Memory Access)
to Low Speed.

During installation, other factors may contribute to 
compatibility test failure.  For this reason, the following 
procedure is recommended if the compatibility test fails
during installation:

    1. Complete the installation
    2. Restart BACKPACK 250 Backup
    3. Choose Configure
    4. Choose Configuration Tests
    5. Set the Direct Memory Access to High Speed
    6. Redo the compatibility test

If the compatibility test fails again, follow the guidelines
presented in the on-line help, available by pressing F1.

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6.   Running BACKPACK 250 Backup under DesqView
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To run BACKPACK 250 Backup under DesqView, make the following
selections in DesqView:

    Create an entry in the Program Menu for BACKPACK 250.

    Under Advanced Options, specify that BACKPACK 250
     cannot share CPU when in the foreground, and that
     it cannot run in the background.

    Select Uses Its Own Colors.

    Set the Memory Size option to 512 K.

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7.   Compressed Drives
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If you are using compression software such as Stacker or
DoubleSpace, do not back up the compressed file (for example,
stacvol.* or the dblspace files), back up the logical drive
instead. Because these compressed files are typically very
large, attempting to restore may cause problems if you do not
have enough disk space to restore the compressed file.

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8.   Installing BACKPACK 250 Backup on a System with Stacker
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If you have Stacker software installed on your computer,
you may not want to let BACKPACK 250 Backup make changes to your
AUTOEXEC.BAT file.  Some versions of Stacker create their
own AUTOEXEC.BAT file which should not be modified, and it
is this file that BACKPACK 250 Backup will find.  

You can tell if this is the case on your computer if, during
BACKPACK 250 Backup installation, the AUTOEXEC.BAT file that is
displayed says "DO NOT MODIFY THIS FILE."  In this case, you
will need to find your original AUTOEXEC.BAT file and make
the following changes:

  Add the BACKPACK 250 Backup directory to your PATH statement.

  Add the command "SET QBACKUP=path_name"
   
      where path_name is the directory you want BACKPACK 250 Backup
      to use for setup and catalog files

  If you want to load the Backup Scheduler each time you
   start your computer, add the command QSCHED as the last
   command in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file.      

For more information on loading the Backup Scheduler, see the
help topic "Installing the Backup Scheduler TSR."

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9.   The DOS Append Command
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If you use the DOS Append command with the /X or /X:ON
option, when you perform a restore, some files may not be
restored.  This is because of the way DOS reports names of
existing files when this command is in effect.

It is highly recommended that you deactivate the Append /x
command before performing restores.

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10.  Setup File Compatibility with BACKPACK 250 Backup for Windows
------------------------------------------------------------------

BACKPACK 250 Backup for Windows, version 3.1, can read, use, 
and modify setup files created by BACKPACK 250 Backup for DOS, 
version 3.1.  If you have made individual file or directory
selections in a setup file that is opened and resaved by
BACKPACK 250 Backup for Windows, you may notice that some
filenames and directory names are displayed in a different
color (red if default colors are used).  This display change
will not affect the selections.

BACKPACK 250 Backup for DOS, version 3.1, can use setup files
created by BACKPACK 250 Backup for Windows, version 3.1,
with the following limitation:

    Individual file and/or directory selections made with
    the keyboard or mouse will not transfer from the Windows
    setup file to the DOS setup file.

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11.  Laptop Power Management Conflicts
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Some laptop power management systems take a "snapshot" of RAM and 
store it on the hard drive when they power down. This may create
a conflict if it occurs during a backup or restore or a tape 
formatting operation.

When using BACKPACK 250 Backup, it is recommended that you turn
OFF all power management features and plug your laptop into an 
outlet rather than using the battery.

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12.  Parallel Port Drive Configuration
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If your parallel port tape drive does not automatically 
configure, first ensure that the power to the drive is on. If 
it is, turn it off, then on, and try configuring it again. See 
below for more suggestions.

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13.  Parallel Port Drive IRQ Conflict With Sound Cards
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You may experience a conflict in IRQ selection if you are 
configuring a parallel port tape drive on a system that 
includes a sound card. SoundBlaster cards and compatibles use a 
default IRQ of 7, which is also used by LPT1. If this conflict 
occurs, you can:

    *  Change your sound card's IRQ if possible. Some cards do 
       not allow this change and some games may not work 
       correctly.

    *  Reconfigure your parallel port to LPT2, which uses IRQ 
       5. See your system documentation for more information.

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14.  Maximum Parallel Port Cable Length
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Your parallel port tape drive should be connected directly to 
your system's parallel port. If you use the pass-through 
connector on the drive to connect a second device such as a 
printer, the maximum cable length for both devices is 
approximately 10 feet (3 meters). 

If you have difficulty using your tape drive when a second
device is connected to the pass-through connector, disconnect 
the second device and its cable while using the tape drive.

If you experience data loss when using a printer connected to 
the pass-through connector, shorten the printer's cable if 
possible or disconnect the tape drive while printing.
