Help with MEZZO restore
 

Hi gang,

We are currently unable to reauthorize our Mezzo 4.5 software (GMR is not responding); unfortunately we never upgraded to 4.7. We have hundreds of Mezzo backups DATs--one of which we need to restore urgently.

1. If you have a working Mezzo 4.5 (or later) system and would be willing to restore a project for us, please contact me (we'll be happy to compensate you for your time).

2. If you would like to sell Mezzo 4.7 (with auth) please contact me as well.

You can respond to this thread or (better yet) email chuck at bakersound dot com. Thanks!

I feel your pain....we have two Mezzo seats that are down because we can't get any response from GMR. Since it appears that they have abandoned Mezzo, at least they could post a version without copy protection......

Mezzo totally sucks balls!! I had a version that wouldn't restore a client's backup. It kept telling me that no files had been backed up while at the same time the little meter showed the tape was completely full go figure.

The stupid tech support was as much help as, well, nothing. Their solution was I send the tape to them and they extract the data for money. NICE!!! I stopped using it after that.

The client was a big PITA too, not understanding and very accusatory - basically the exact wrong type of client to run into problems with their backup - not that there is a right kind, but this was definitely NO FUN!

Now I do all my backups to HD. Manually. I'll probably use Time Machine when I upgrade to an Intel.

Sorry to hear about your Mezzo probs. I wish there was a thread like this before I bought the MF in the first place! What a waste of like $400.

I'll check tomorrow. I might have Mezzo 4.5. If so I can try and do a restore for ya.

Bobby Peru
Milwaukee, WI

Email me - I have 4.7 ilok that I can transfer to you
 

I saw this coming many years ago - Mezzo and GMR where the worst possible piece of (expensive) crap ever to see daylight

Hey Chuck... emailed you... I have a mezzo 4.5 and 4.7 for sale... yeloocevad at sbcglobal d o t n e t.

Thanks to all who replied; a DUC member sold us a Mezzo 4.7 authorized iLok for a reasonable price, so we're back up and running. A couple points of interest:

1. We were unable to transfer the Mezzo iLok asset between iLok accounts (you can only transfer it from one iLok to another on a local machine). It seems that GMR chose to make this a non-transferable asset like Waves used to be. So if you need Mezzo 4.7 authorization (or are selling same), you're probably going to have to FedEx an authorized, physical iLok--that's what we did.

2. The 4.7 software can still be downloaded directly from Mezzo's site, so if you have any thought that you might need this software I'd suggest you download it now, while the site is still up and running.

3. I'm no lawyer, but I wonder if a class action suit might be employed to compel GMR to either (a) post a non-copy-protected version of the software or (b) provide iLok assets to all registered 4.x users?

Best of luck to all of you who have been abandoned by GMR.

Count me in...

I see this as an additional cautionary tale against having data backed up using proprietary formats such as Retrospect. I gave up on using it a long time ago for several other reasons, but having my data at the mercy of a third party company/program is out of the question.

Funny to find this post. I'm staring at a stack of tapes archived in 2003 with Mezzo and wondering what I can do to retrieve the data on them. I contacted GMR about a year+ ago and asked a few simple questions (including about purchasing an upgrade). Not only were they unhelpful, they were completely rude. They couldn't have cared less. It's a wonder they're still in business. I had trouble from the beginning with Mezzo and should have known better. I learned my lesson the hard way and have been backing up to drives (without using proprietary software) ever since.

Question for yeloocevad... Do you still have those copies of Mezzo for sale?

On another note, Clif/C-tone, it's Peter A here. Those tracks we did at The Pass are coming together great. U rock! ;)

Mezzo, What the hell?
 

I have been using this program for over 10 years. I have about 350 tape with tons and tons of DATA. My hard drive went down with a 4.7 auth. I have emailed, Called, tried to be nice, now i am just pissed. Jack and steve kellogg the owners of Grey matter response are in responsible for this horrible act. If there is any one who has a personal contact address or phone number I would love it. This is going to get ugly. Sorry to be so blunt, but there it is.
Regards Skip Burrows. www.sunrisesound.com

I got 60 gb's of old sessions needing to be unearthed from years ago. I gave up trying to get help after several emails. They just really suck that bad. Never to use back software again. To risky.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Yep still got them... shoot me an email (address listed above)...

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

This is unbelievable. I have 200 tv episodes on Mezzo tapes and we're about to do a best of series.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

We have experienced exactly the same problem with this company. We currently cannot access our backups as our 6 month key has expired. I have been calling Mezzo and emailing since August 19. IF anyone has any more thoughts or ideas about this situation... count me in.

Joel

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Again, I've got two working copies for sale...

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

I switched over to Retrospect years ago. I also back up to drives, but I've still got a bunch of old mezzo tapes that are always in the back of mind...

I was actually getting ready to upgrade to 4.7 and begin the daunting task of restoring to drives as a safety net. I believe mezzo is dying on the vine like most of you.

Are you guys saying you've tried to upgrade to 4.7 and are getting no response after paying? Has anyone here successfully upgaded? Also, does anyone know if mezzo 4.7 actually works with Leopard?

Thanks.
BT

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Yes,
I've done an upgrade about 6 months ago.
No problem so far.
Haven't tried it with leopard.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Heya yeloocevad, I've shot you an email but got no reply. I'm interested in a copy.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Both MEZZO ilok auths have been sold. Thanks folks.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

I have 10 years work on Mezzo I can not believe they didn't give us a full auth this must be breaking the law!!

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

I have a bunch of stuff backed up to DDS4 tapes using Mezzo software. Does anyone have any suggestions on who might be able to retrieve the data (preferably in the LA area)? Thx ahead of time!

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Hi all.
I've just joined the forum and am really pleased to see that there are other people out there with the same mezzo problems i'm havin. i thought i was on my own. i've been trying to contact mezzo for the past 2 months or so (without any joy) as i have around 130 mezzo tapes with lots of projects that were done along time ago that i need to restore really badly. i've emailed numerous times and called lots as well with no responce from them at all. the site shop is down and has been for ages. i can't believe that a company can do this. i am enquiring to see if anybody out there can help. i want to get back to these projects asap and was wonderin if anybody is willing to sell there ilok authorization or if someone can possibliy rent it to me asd i only need to get the info off tape and on to a HD. Please if there is anybody that can help please email me on [email protected].

Thanks

Re: Help with MEZZO restore - solution to everyone
 

Lets put this misery to an end.
DIGI - IF YOU READ THIS - PLEASE MAKE IT A STICKY?

I have put my Mezzo 4.7 iLok asset on a new ilok. This is my proposal:
1) Daniel pay the courier to pick it up from me,
2) acknowledge receipt of the iLok on this thread
3) retrieve his stuff,
4) after which it will be available to the next person who needs it - that person will pick up the tab for the courier and keep it in the loop.

THE ilok or asset must never be sold or hired - will always remain my "property", as this is my attempt to make sure that neither #$%^& GMR or #$%^& Mezzo or anyone else will ever financially benefit from this horrible piece of software!

I trust you people (and also believe that no one in his right mind will want to start a library and keep the ilok) to keep this going.

Stef Albertyn
Cape Town, South Africa

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Hey Stef.

You are a true Morality warrior and i can totally agree to everything in your last post. i'm totally happy to fit the bill for courier and will acknowledge when recieved and will 100% pass it on to the next poor soul who has the same problem. and i acknowledge your ownership of said ilok and auth code.

Thanks again Stef. i'll contact you via email. i have your address just let me know when is best for pick up. Whoever needs it next just give me email on [email protected]

Cheers

Dan:-)

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

A lot of people here learned backup lesson #1 the hard way with Mezzo. Basically, if you're using a dedicated backup scheme such as Mezzo or Retrospect, you should never ever change/update/upgrade your backup computer. The moment you have a fully functioning backup system, you clone the system drive to another disk you'll keep outside the office. You keep that computer forever, no matter what. Any necessary updates warrant a new drive clone.

If your system archives its catalogs anywhere other than the backup media itself, as Retrospect does, you back those up to a different system. I have stacks and stacks of Mezzo backups going up to 2002, at which point our backup strategy was revised, but have never had the slightest problem retrieving the data. I just take out the old beige G3, plug everything up and let er rip. If that system dies, i have spares of most components and two drive clones. I regularly retrieve 10-year-old sessions without a hitch.

A backup strategy is not only about backing up your data, it's also about backing up your backup strategy itself. I learned that the hard way, too.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

+1 to say what a horrible piece of crap Mezzo 4.- is. Incredibly unstable and filled with bugs..bad news for backup software. I know I'm not adding anything to this thread other than trashing this poor excuse for code. I was burned over and over and over again with Mezzo. It was great back in the version 3 / OS 9 days but vers 4 is, in my opinion, the worst software ever written. Yeah..can you tell I had to cover my arse with clients and lost data over this crapware? Ok...calming down now...bad memories.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Does anyone have a Mezzo 4.7 authoization they will rent or sell to me. They are nowhere to be found and have me locked out of my own archives!!!!!

Re: Help with MEZZO restore - solution to everyone
 

hi stef, did you send the ilok??? i could really do with it for a week!!! happy to pay postage etc..

best

Andy

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

anyone know if updates are backwards compatible? I think my tapes are a pretty early format.

also, I would love to "borrow" the ilok.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

The iLok has been sent to DanMc

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Any chance that any of u posters on this topic are here in los angeles and would be able to help me do a restore with mezzo of about 10 dds4 tapes? i would pay for ur time, of course... happy thxgiving.

Re: Help with MEZZO restore - solution to everyone
 

Hi Stef.

As agreed i am Just letting you know that i have recieved the ilok earlier this week. thankyou verymuch for yor help. i am in the process of sorting through all 130 of my exabyte tapes which is a daunting task.

I will post up on here when i'm finished with the ilok and i'll gladly send it on to the next person as long as they get the courier bill as i have done from Stef.

Thanks again Stef you r a star:-)

DanMc

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Hey everyone, my name is andrew and I would love to be involved on the ilok swap. Let me know what I can do..

Re: Help with MEZZO restore - solution to everyone
 

Dan, how the 100s of tapes going..? please let me know when your done and will arrange collection etc.. thanks

Andy

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

This thread is another reminder that unless we are very careful we stand to lose all we have done to incompatible formats.

FWIW, the Retrospect backup option I use is "Duplicate" which simply updates the backup drive to make it look exactly like the source drive. I have 2 backups for every drive I use. The backups are rotated to an offsite location.

Retrospect is very good at scripting backups, so i have a script for every drive I'm using--double click the script (or series of scripts) at the end of the day and you're updated. if you use Duplicate, what you end up with is an exact copy of your data, mountable and accessible on any system (or at least until firewire 800 is dead).

I never went the Mezzo route and now I'm glad I didn't!

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

Hi I am also looking for Mezzo software from some old DLT backups that I have in storage. Anyone have the software working in LA ?

I do have a DLT also.

Rob Nokes
www.sounddogs.com

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

My tape drive recently broke down. Anybody know where I can stlll buy a drive for dds3 tapes that's firewire for a reasonable price?

Anybody in the New York, Jersey area with one I could buy, rent, borrow?

thanks--Kevin

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

I stefB, do you know if DanMc got the ilok?? I can not get a reply from him?


Thanks

Andy

Re: Help with MEZZO restore
 

DanMC will post here when he is done...
DAN?
DAAAN?

:):p