Expire existing backup sets in a backup device

Hi,
Is it possible to remove or expire backup sets from a backup device
which don't currently have an expiry?
We have some backup devices which contain lots of transaction logs
which need removing. We now specify RETAIN_DAYS as part of the backup
command.
Need to do this in both SQL2K & SQL 2005 (Standard)
Thanks
Dave
Hi,
I read somewhere that media retention could be used to control this
but could not find out how to set it.
I guess you are saying take the backup device (file) top take then run
a single backup with INIT to clear out the entires.?
Dave
On Fri, 9 Feb 2007 10:43:13 +0100, "Tibor Karaszi"
<tibor_please.no.email_karaszi@.hotmail.nomail.com> wrote:

>RETAIN_DAYS and EXPIREDATE has nothing to do with automatic removing of old backups. In fact, you
>cannot even remove old backups from a backup device while keeping newer ones (INIT is all or
>nothing). Consider writing scripts or using maint plans so you have several backup files and the
>oldest ones are re-used with INIT or deleted.
|||>> I guess you are saying take the backup device (file) top take then run
>I'm sorry, but I didn't get that... Can you re-phrase?
>
Yes it was complete jibberish wasnt it :-)
I meant to say move the backup device (file) onto tape then run a
backup INIT to clear the old entires.

>Say you have a backup device with, say, 10 backups on it. You can not remove only 5 of those. You
>can overwrite the lot using INIT, or append using NOINIT (default). RETAINDAYS etc does not affect
>this.
Ok I understand.
Thanks for your help
Dave