[jrj0]

I’m using Roxio ECD 7.5 with Windows XP. I’m trying to learn about DVD creation.
I am using Read Only DVDs as a media for saving system backups. Those backups can be approximately 5.5 GB. I have 3 questions:

1. First, what software should I use to copy the backup from hard drive to the DVD?

2. As another part of this question, if I have several specialty files to copy, what software package should I use to copy smaller files and leave the DVD open (not closed) for further copying?

3. Second, some of the larger backup files are too big for a 4.7 GB DVD. What software package spans more than one DVD media?

[grandpabruce]

I’m using Roxio ECD 7.5 with Windows XP. I’m trying to learn about DVD creation.
I am using Read Only DVDs as a media for saving system backups. Those backups can be approximately 5.5 GB. I have 3 questions:

1. First, what software should I use to copy the backup from hard drive to the DVD?

2. As another part of this question, if I have several specialty files to copy, what software package should I use to copy smaller files and leave the DVD open (not closed) for further copying?

3. Second, some of the larger backup files are too big for a 4.7 GB DVD. What software package spans more than one DVD media?

1. and 3. are easy. I would never back up my hard drive to a series of DVD's. You are asking for trouble if you span discs. I would use a program like Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost to back up to another hard drive.

2. Use Creator Classic, and make sure that you uncheck the box to the left of Read only, and also change your burn settings to UDF, No bridge.

[jrj0]

That seems like a good way of handling the situation. Your recommendation seems to infer that DVD is not the most reliable media for backups. Is there something I need to know before I get into trouble?

[grandpabruce]

That seems like a good way of handling the situation. Your recommendation seems to infer that DVD is not the most reliable media for backups. Is there something I need to know before I get into trouble?

Lots of people do backup to DVD's, so you may never have a problem with it. I just prefer the hard drive method when backing up my main partition.

I do backup important files to a DVD, also, but I use Creator Classic to do it.

This post has been edited by grandpabruce: 16 July 2007 - 04:48 AM

[lynn98109]

Just never format optical media (CDs, DVDs), and don't use RW media, and don't span discs.

Sessions-based writing (like Classic Creator or the built-in WinXP writing), on R media, is pretty stable.

Lynn

[marlinsinger]

I do backups to DVD and HDD. But only of my personnel data files. Files I can not easily get back. For my C drive, I use 2 different applications, Backup MyPC and Acronis True Image, both to DVD. At this point I have abandoned using Ghost and Save and Restore. Symantec seems to be going backward with these products. I don't have a problem with using DVDs for the C: drive a if all else fails, I can reinstall.
I have had to use BUMP's backup to restore files, and one time the operating system, with no problems, The one thing that you need to be careful about with true backup applications is the compression. It is needed to cut down on the wasted space, but when new versions come out, you have to know whether the compression algorithms have changed. If so you may not be able to restore from older backups.

This post has been edited by marlinsinger: 16 July 2007 - 05:44 AM