------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ditto Tools, Version 5.0 Copyright Arcada Software, Inc. 1995. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This file contains important information that became available after the written documentation was completed. The following subjects are discussed: 1. Installing Ditto Tools After Other Backup Programs 2. Do Not Run Ditto Tools with Boot-Disk Creator 3. Setup Disk Space Estimates 4. Video/DMA Conflict Problems 5. Laptop/Notebook Video Conflicts 6. Power Management Conflicts 7. Reading Irwin AccuTrak Tapes 8. Maximum Parallel Port Cable Length 9. IRQ Conflicts 10. Potential Conflict with Screen Savers 11. NetWare Files With an Execute Only (X) Attribute 12. Files Not Backed Up By Ditto Tools 13. Formatting Tapes on 386 Machines 14. Hardware Compression Not Supported 15. Restoring Files with NetWare Delete Inhibit or Rename Inhibit Attributes 16. Performance Issues on QIC-3020 Parallel Port Tape Drives 17. Controller Conflicts 18. Possible Video Conflicts 19. EZ-Drive Disk Manager 1. Installing Ditto Tools After Other Backup Programs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You may experience difficulty running Ditto Tools if some device files from other backup programs are found in your SYSTEM.INI file. If you can't start Ditto Tools, try commenting the following devices out of your SYSTEM.INI file: CMSWTAPE.386 CMSDTAPE.386 CPBVXD.386 FASTBACK.386 IRW286.DRV NOVABKP.386 VIRWT.386 VITD.386 DCVXD.386 To do this: 1. Open the SYSTEM.INI file using a text editor. 2. Search for the device name(s), e.g., DEVICE=CPBVXD.386 3. Type a semicolon (;) at the beginning of the line. 2. Do Not Run Ditto Tools with Boot-Disk Creator ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do not run Ditto Tools and the boot-disk creator at the same time. Floppy drives cannot be used while the product is running. 3. Setup Disk Space Estimates ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- To insure that the user always has enough disk space to install Ditto Tools, the Setup program displays the maximum amount of space that may be required for installation. This estimate is affected by the actual options selected for install and also includes some space that is necessary in order to run the setup program. 4. Video/DMA Conflict Problems ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ditto Tools uses direct memory access (DMA) channels to read and write data. Sometimes using a tape device that is connected to the floppy controller causes conflicts with the Windows 3.1 video drivers. During the compatibility test, Ditto Tools determines if your system has a video/DMA conflict and if so, goes through a series of tests in an effort to ensure your system runs reliably with Ditto Tools. After each test a message will inform you that tests are still being performed. If Ditto Tools has attempted every test and your system will still not work reliably, a message will inform you of the problem. NOTE: If you experience video/DMA conflicts, try disabling the Video Caching option (sometimes referred to as Video Shadowing) in your CMOS setup. If your system locks up when using the backup program, switch to the Windows Standard VGA driver. If the Windows Standard VGA driver works, contact your video board manufacturer for an updated driver. 5. Laptop/Notebook Video Conflicts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some laptop and notebook computers may have video conflicts that cause the tape drive to move the tape back and forth excessively ("shoe-shining"). If you experience this, try minimizing the Ditto Tools icon and making the Program Manager window active and moving it over the top of the icon while the program is writing to or reading from the tape. The Ditto Tools window will activate itself when the backup or restore is finished, and this action should speed up your session. 6. Power Management Conflicts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some Desktop computer systems and laptops have power management systems that 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 Ditto Tools, it is recommended that you turn OFF all power management features. If you're using a laptop, avoid running power management features by using an outlet rather than batteries. 7. Reading Irwin AccuTrak Tapes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Iomega drive can read both QIC-40/-80 and Irwin AccuTrak tapes. To read an Irwin tape, you must first rebuild a catalog for the tape. Select Rebuild from the Catalog menu. When the rebuilding process is complete, you can load and use the catalog to restore files from that tape. NOTE: You cannot format or write to AccuTrak tapes with your Iomega drive. 8. Maximum Parallel Port Cable Length ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. 9. IRQ Conflicts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 a printer port (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. * Check your system documentation to see if your parallel port can be configured to use a different interrupt. Devices that may conflict with printer port interrupt: Sound Cards Scanner Cards Network Cards Bus Mice Other printer ports Other devices IRQ usage can be determined by using the Microsoft Diagnostics Program. Exit Windows and type MSD at the DOS prompt. Note that MSD cannot always diagnose printer port IRQ conflicts. Printing does not require a hardware interrupt and will function normally even if an interrupt conflict exists. Symptoms of an IRQ conflict include Ditto Tools not finding the tape controller and network problems when backing up to tape. 10. Potential Conflict with Screen Savers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Some screen savers will not activate while a backup, compare, or restore is running and Ditto Tools is minimized. For optimum performance, we recommend that you disable your screen saver while using Ditto Tools. However, if you wish to use your screen saver, you must first make sure Ditto Tools is not minimized. 11. NetWare Files With an Execute Only (X) Attribute ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NetWare files with an execute only (X) attribute will not be backed up, compared, or overwritten during a restore. 12. Files Not Backed Up by Ditto Tools ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ditto Tools does not log or back up a number of files to avoid potential system conflicts if they are restored. Compressed Volume files: DBLSPACE.0?? DRVSPACE.0?? STACVOL.* Windows swap files: 386SPART.PAR WIN386.SWP NetWare System files: BACKOUT.TTS NET$SPL.QUE NET$MSG.SYS DIRSTAMP.SYS NET$OBJ.SYS* NET$PROP.SYS* NET$VAL.SYS* NET$BIND.SYS* NET$BVAL.SYS* SYS$LOG.ERR * These NetWare bindery files will be backed up or restored only if you are logged on to a server as Supervisor. See your User Guide for more information. Additionally, Ditto Tools will not back up a number of temporary files used by the program when these files are found in the program's directory. 13. Formatting Tapes on 386 Machines ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you encounter difficulties formatting tapes on a slower 386 machine or receive a message stating "The tape controller is not responding correctly," make sure your turbo switch is on. 14. Hardware Compression Not Supported ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ditto Tools for Windows, Version 5.0, does not support the hardware compression function found on some high-speed controller cards. 15. Restoring Files with NetWare Delete Inhibit or Rename Inhibit Attributes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- During a Restore, you cannot overwrite files which have the NetWare Delete Inhibit (D) or Rename Inhibit (R) attribute set. To restore these files, you must first manually remove the Delete Inhibit or Rename Inhibit attribute. 16. Performance Issues on QIC-3020 Parallel Port Tape Drives ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you have a QIC-3020 Parallel Port tape drive you may experience a performance limitation, especially on systems with unidirectional parallel ports. This combination may not transfer data from the tape drive to the system fast enough to allow the tape to run continuously, or "stream." However, if you reformat the tape using the QIC-3010 format, the tape will run at half the speed of a QIC-3020 and stream more of the time. This will result in faster net restore times and less wear on the tape drive, but will cut the tape's capacity in half. 17. Controller Conflicts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Promise 2300 EIDE VLB controller must run in fast mode (/f parameter) in order to work with floppy tape drives. 18. Possible Video Conflicts ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Problems have occurred with various video drivers and the video compatibility test in Windows. If your software hangs during the Compatibility Test, try to get an update of the video driver from the card manufacturer. Conflicts have occurred with Diamond Stealth 64 and ATI Ultra Mach 32/64 cards. 19. EZ-Drive Disk Manager ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The following information applies to systems with high-capacity hard drives using the Micro House EZ-Drive disk manager: Before starting Ditto Tools for Windows, make sure that the Micro House EZ-Drive Virtual Driver is installed by running the SETUP.EXE program on the EZ-Drive installation diskette. This setup program adds the line "device=MH32BIT.SYS" to the [386Enh] section of your SYSTEM.INI file. Then follow the steps below: 1. Click the Windows Control Panel's "Enhanced" icon. 2. Select the Virtual Memory... button. 3. Select the Change>> button. Ensure the "Use 32-Bit Disk Access" check box is checked. This check box must remain checked in order to use Ditto Tools for Windows. If you continue to encounter problems using Ditto Tools for Windows, and if you are using a QIC floppy tape or parallel port tape drive, follow the steps below: 1. Open Ditto Tools. 2. Select the Configure button. 3. Select the Settings button. The Settings dialog appears. 4. Select the Most Compatible setting in the DMA Operation combo box. This results in lower performance, but may be necessary on some systems for proper operation.