Running XP Sp3, OE6, IE8
I recently bought an external hard disk which is attached to my desktop pc
with USB.
I also have a program called Acronis which is supposed to copy or clone,
backup, etc.
It has you create a Bootable Rescue Media Builder which I put on a USB key.

My idea was to copy my entire pc disk to the external hard disk and then
periodically
back it up and if my pc went (it is old) I could restart from my external
hard disk.

In talking with a guy who owns a computer shop, he tells me I cannot reboot
from a
USB. He insists that is the case. If so I have been wasting a lot of time
trying to
insure I don't have to reinstall everything or lose my data.

Perhaps I should just copy my data and figure I will have to reinstall all
the programs,
settings, etc.?
I am getting more confused.
Patti