mtfcheck: Verifying Backup Tapes from Scripts

Occasionally, you might want to verify that Backup wrote your data correctly, or even merely erase a tape. In most cases, Backup is sufficient for this. However, if you want to perform these tasks from scripts, use mtfcheck, which is available as part of the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. Table 24.3 lists mtfcheck options and what they do.

Table 24.3. mftcheck Options and Arguments

Option	Function
?	Gets onscreen help for mtfcheck.
-e	Indicates that mtfcheck should erase the specified tape. An additional option (l for long) is available, and this forces mtfcheck to zero all data on the tape. You might do this if you want to obliterate the previous data (which mtfcheck will overwrite).
-f[n]	Indicates the file number (expressed as n) to restore from the backup tape. You derive this number from a report file.
-l[label]	Indicates the label you'd like to assign to the specified tape.
-r[reportfilename]	Indicates the file that mtfcheck redirects output to (and its name). If you fail to provide such a filename or specify an impossible filename, mtfcheck directs output to stdout.
-s[n]	This indicates the specific set number (expressed as n) to restore from the specified tape.
-t[tapename]	This indicates the tape to use and its name, typically tape0, tape1, and so on (similar to tape naming conventions in Unix).