How to back up all system and files on a DVD

[group.post1]

One of the things I've tried testing after my recent
harddrive crash, is whether or not I could restore from
DVD. The answer is "No.". So, even if you succeed in
writing a backup to your DVD, you won't be able to
restore from it. (Or if you do find a way to make this
work, _Please_ tell me about it!).

>-----Original Message-----
>I have a computer with Windows XP and a DVD burner. is
>there a way to back up the contents of the entire hard
>drive into DVD?. I've tried the System tools, but the
>backup utility does not appear in there, and I had a
very
>bad experience when I lost my hard drive and all its
>contents.
>
>Thanks for your help.
>.
>

[Rick]

Have you tried Norton Ghost2003 ?

"group.post1" > wrote in message
...
> One of the things I've tried testing after my recent
> harddrive crash, is whether or not I could restore from
> DVD. The answer is "No.". So, even if you succeed in
> writing a backup to your DVD, you won't be able to
> restore from it. (Or if you do find a way to make this
> work, _Please_ tell me about it!).
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I have a computer with Windows XP and a DVD burner. is
> >there a way to back up the contents of the entire hard
> >drive into DVD?. I've tried the System tools, but the
> >backup utility does not appear in there, and I had a
> very
> >bad experience when I lost my hard drive and all its
> >contents.
> >
> >Thanks for your help.
> >.
> >

[Old Geek]

Drive image 7.01 allows you to image to, and restore from, a CD or a DVD.

"group.post1" > wrote in message
...
> One of the things I've tried testing after my recent
> harddrive crash, is whether or not I could restore from
> DVD. The answer is "No.". So, even if you succeed in
> writing a backup to your DVD, you won't be able to
> restore from it. (Or if you do find a way to make this
> work, _Please_ tell me about it!).
>
> >-----Original Message-----
> >I have a computer with Windows XP and a DVD burner. is
> >there a way to back up the contents of the entire hard
> >drive into DVD?. I've tried the System tools, but the
> >backup utility does not appear in there, and I had a
> very
> >bad experience when I lost my hard drive and all its
> >contents.
> >
> >Thanks for your help.
> >.
> >

[Alex Nichol]

group.post1 wrote:

>One of the things I've tried testing after my recent
>harddrive crash, is whether or not I could restore from
>DVD. The answer is "No.". So, even if you succeed in
>writing a backup to your DVD, you won't be able to
>restore from it. (Or if you do find a way to make this
>work, _Please_ tell me about it!).


Depends on how you make the backup image. I use 'Image for Windows' or
BootIT NG, from http://www.BootitNG.com ($35 shareware - 30 day full
functional trial) which are essentially the same burning engine - you
can image with the one and restore with the other. Image is faster, but
you cannot readily and safely image the partition you are running from.
With that, provided you use its settings to 'burn extra track' and 'use
alternate CD close' you get a DVD that works fine for restoration -
indeed if made with Image it can be self-booting to do so



--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)