can i run backup exec 10.0 from a server, but have the tape drive connected to Windows 98?

Question

I just started as IT manager of a company that used to used an older version of backup exec that ran on a nt server. The tape drive they used also only has drivers available for up to Win 98. So i installed win 98 in a virtual enviroment and got the tape drive running. But the new versions of Backup Exec only work on the new operating systems of course. So, my choice seems to be to either find a driver for the tape drive, (T300o HP) that works on the newer operating systems, or to find a way to install the latest Backup exec on a server and see if i can access the tape drive which is currently on the 98 nmachine. I hope this makes since. I have no problem purchasing the new backup Exec. Time is a huge issue as i am trying to recover lost engineering drawings that were backed up years ago with backup exec.. that they are needing now. Sorry for the long story, but i am out of ideas. Thank you!!!!

Answer 1

This link implies that they have NT 3.51/4.0 drivers for the T3000 also. I'd try and find an old copy of Backup Exec that runs on the hardware running the old software. Failing that, I guess you could try and read the tape block by block using an old Linux distro (circa 1999 or so). Then you'd have to find some way of making sense of the backup, since it's not in QIC format.