[Info-vax] Backup A Dying Disk.

[Steven Schweda]

> [...] I have a copy of the I believe its called the
> MicroVAX Diagnostic Monitor (MOM)  software, but I don't know
> how to set it up for either method.

   Given the appropriate kit, MDM, like Standalone BACKUP,
can be booted from tape or disk.  (Guess which is faster. 
Your TK70 might beat my TK50, but I'd still bet on any
(working) disk over any TK tape.)  I normally install it in
[SYSD] ("D" for "Diagnostic", which even _I_ can remember). 
I believe that a network boot was also possible, but I've
never seen it done (and I don't know if that would need files
which are not part of the disk/tape kit.)

   Note, however, that the TK50 labeled "DIAG CUST" has a
slightly crippled disk formatter, which will refuse to work
on a virgin (or virgin-looking) disk.  The full-featured
edition says "DIAG MAINT".  If your disk still works (a
little), then the lame edition of MDM may be willing to do
the job, so you might not care.

   It's been a while, but, as I recall, actual operation of
MDM is pretty easy/intuitive.