HP OpenVMS Systems

Does BACKUP/IMAGE overwrite the target disk?

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The Question is:

 
For a Standalone System Backup on disk, must the target disk be empty, or
the backup will create a new director in which the system files are copied?
 
 

The Answer is :

 
  OpenVMS Alpha does not have standalone BACKUP, it uses a bootable
  environment and effectively has access to an unlimited variety of
  OpenVMS commands.  OpenVMS VAX does have standalone BACKUP, and the
  environment is limited to BACKUP commands.
 
  When a BACKUP/IMAGE is restored, it overwrites the target disk by
  default.
 
  The default for writing to disks is /INITIALIZE, which renders the
  entire contents of the disk overwritten and also overwrites the
  existing volume initialization characteristics.  If you wish to
  maintain the existing volume characteristics -- such as when the
  reason for the BACKUP and restoration is to change the disk cluster
  factor or the number of file headers -- then you will want to use
  the DCL INITIALIZE command, followed by a BACKUP restoration with
  the /NOINITIALIZE qualifier.
 
  The Wizard would strongly recommend reviewing the discussion of
  BACKUP in the system management guide, and the specific details
  and examples of BACKUP operations in the BACKUP utility chapter
  of the System Management Utilities Reference Manual.
 
  Standalone BACKUP on OpenVMS VAX is incapable of performing
  file-level restoration; only /IMAGE (or /PHYSICAL) operations
  are possible.  The bootable environment available on OpenVMS
  Alpha can perform file-level restorations, as well as /IMAGE
  and /PHYSICAL (whole volume) operations.
 

  

     

     
answer written or last revised on ( 19-NOV-1998 )
     
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