System Backup with XP Professional

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 31 Oct 2002 7:20 am

How do I create a Windows XP Professional system backup on CD's?

I can see how to create a system backup file, but I can't determine how I can get the backup on to CD's. The file will exceed the capacity of a single disc and I'm not sure the system will manage the copy to multiple discs.

I also have Roxio's Easy Creator (basic version) for creating data, music and enhanced CDs.

Ron

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 31 Oct 2002 7:24 am

You can't make a full backup with Windows running, vital system files are locked. Norton's Ghost runs in DOS mode and will span multiple CD's.

Don Benoit · Post by **Don Benoit** » 31 Oct 2002 8:52 am

I concur. Norton ghost is one of the best ways to backup. Also, I just built up a new computer and I run RAID on it in mode one. This means that I have two identical hard drives that mirror the data. That way, if one drive fails, the computer will still run perfectly until I replace the one that has failed. When I replace the failed drive, it will automatically copy the data to the new drive.

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Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Oct 2002 9:20 am

"Norton Ghost"....Will it work on XP Home, and if so, where can I find it? I have Norton Virus protection![This message was edited by Gene Jones on 31 October 2002 at 09:21 AM.]

Mark Ardito · Post by **Mark Ardito** » 31 Oct 2002 9:44 am

Norton Ghost is a seperate product that needs to be purchased. It is a seperate entity from Antivirus.

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Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 31 Oct 2002 9:53 am

You can get Ghost as part of Norton Systemworks Professional, a collection of many Norton utilities. Buying Professional is a much better bargain than buying the pieces individually. It was $89 at Staples a couple weeks ago.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 31 Oct 2002 10:31 am

Thanks guys....that's cheaper than most of the "add ons" that I have bought recently! www.genejones.com

Ron Page · Post by **Ron Page** » 6 Nov 2002 6:36 pm

XP documentation does claim that you can backup a running system and it uses a shadowing technique to allow for in use files. I've successfully backed up and restored my WIN 95 system with a tape drive.

I discovered from the MS Windows XP Knowledgebase that Windows XP Backup will not backup to CD's.

It's not obvious from the documentation on Backup or Removable Storage Management. In fact, that documentation leads you to believe otherwise and the program merely states that the specified file cannot be used -- verify the path and your permissions. I don't know why it can't just tell you that it views CD's as readonly. Furthermore, backing up to CD is such an obvious need this day and age, I wonder why the hell Bill Gates won't allow XP to do that for us. Reloading programs from their original CD's won't get you the automatic patches that we now download over the Internet. Arg!

I'd stick my old hard drive in the new box and backup to it, but then I'm sure a lightning strike will whack both drives at once.

I'll probably just generate an Automated System Recovery set and be content to shove "My Documents" and other data files out to CD once in awhile.[This message was edited by Ron Page on 06 November 2002 at 06:38 PM.]