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From: info-vax@ucbvax.ARPA
Newsgroups: fa.info-vax
Subject: Questions
Message-ID: <8769@ucbvax.ARPA>
Date: Thu, 4-Jul-85 15:50:58 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.8769
Posted: Thu Jul  4 15:50:58 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 6-Jul-85 05:30:40 EDT
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Organization: University of California at Berkeley
Lines: 32

From: Tony Li 

    From: Peter Stokes 

    1)  Does anybody really know the difference between using BACKUP and
        BACKUP/IMAGE when performing a stand alone backup of a system.
        During a DEC course I recently attended we were informed that
        /IMAGE must be used otherwise a restore on a brand new disk
        would not work.  The DEC manual (Utilites Reference Manual) 
        does not indicate whether using /IMAGE is essential for a reliable
        stand alone backup.  To add to the confusion...  DEC software
        support in Colorado Springs were positive that the /IMAGE qualifier
        is implied in stand alone backup and therefore redundant to include
        in the command line.

BACKUP/IMAGE need only be used when initializing a new disk under
normal backup.  TSC is correct in saying that /IMAGE is implied under
stand alone backup.  I think the confusion lies in your DEC course.
The instructor must have been talking about normal BACKUP and not made
himself clear.

    2)  Does anybody know of a quick way of actually erasing a mag tape?
        The INITITALIZE command is reversable and sometimes we need to
        send out a blank tape without the possiblity of its previous
        contents being read.

There are bulk-demagnetizers which are available from your local
electronics store for reasonable amounts of money.  The only other way
is to completely write over the tape, or to use a new tape.

Cheers, 
Tony ;-)