Retrospect is it useable?


Since moving from OS 9 to OS X Retrospect has been having problems. Where you could with OS 9 erase and restore an entire hard disk and have it running and recognising it's System folder with no worries at all, with the OS X version I wouldn't attempt it as I can't even get it to restore a simple application let alone the system folder.

With the latest update for OS X 10.4.1 Retrospect seems to be having a problem with Spotlight files which for some reason when Retrospect tries to back them up it crashes Retrospect. It is possible to filter these files out see Retrospect KB but even so it still isn't doing "what it says on the box" which is being a dependable backup system. Retrospect Tiger Compatibility Read Me

One alternative is what is described by iGary posted on the Dantz Retrospect List read on....

Subject: Re: Media failures in Retrospect (OK in Finder, Toast, etc.)
Poster : iGary
Date : 05/26/05 12:37 PM

I am a long long time user of Retrospect and have suggested it to many people. It works great for backup tape and hard drive media.

I have tried for years with the OS X version to get consistent stability when backing up to optical media. Nothing byt media errors galore. I have tried on about 10 Macs with different versions of OS X, different versions of Retrospect, different brands of media, and different optical drives. These systems are able to burn optical media day in and day out with Toast, Disc Burner, Dragon Burn etc. Retrospect is unique in its inability to get consistent reliable optical media burns.

Version 6 cannot read some version 5 catalogs. Version 5 cannot read some version 4 catalogs...

Retrospect and Dantz are an embarrassment and I have stopped recommending it.

In fact, for one client I am unarchiving whatever can be unarchived, reburning with Toast and cataloging with iView Media Pro. Much of the data is lost because Retrospect simply cannot burn optical disks.

Advantages to not using Retrospect for archiving to optical media:
1. It works.
2. The data can be burned on hybrid discs that can be read on any Mac or PC, instead of being stored in a proprietary file readable (if you're lucky) only by Retrospect. Archiving data in a proprietary file is insane.
3. Speed. Retrospect can at best burn a DVD at 4x (usually 2x) using 8x or 16x burners and 8x or 16 x media.
4. Catalog sharing.

Posted: Fri - May 27, 2005 at 09:44 AM          

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