CD-RW Cannot do backup, need help

Question

I have learned to burn CD's on CD-R's, and I have been able to transfer pictures, but I still cannot perform a system backup.  Everything goes fine until the disk if full, then it tell's me that the disk if full and cannot continue, and backup is aborted.  I have tried to perform a back up on zip disks, but it takes too many of them. I would like to back up to CD's.  Help

Jim Hardin · Answer

@ebette wrote:

I have learned to burn CD's on CD-R's, and I have been able to transfer pictures, but I still cannot perform a system backup. Everything goes fine until the disk if full, then it tell's me that the disk if full and cannot continue, and backup is aborted. I have tried to perform a back up on zip disks, but it takes too many of them. I would like to back up to CD's. Help

Disc Spanning requires specialized software. Nothing that is built into Windows can do it.

ebette · Answer

I went to Assessorites, System Tools, then Backup.  Can't I back up from there?

Jim Hardin · Answer

@ebette wrote:
I went to Assessorites, System Tools, then Backup. Can't I back up from there?

No, not to optical media.

If you backup up to file, more often the file will be too large to fit on the media…

Actually the best "backup" is a Data CD/DVD consisting of copies of the files you can't replace. That would be what you don't have install discs for.

In my opinion, given the size of HDs these days, it is no longer practical to backup to optical media. I use an external HD.

I just copied 20gb of data to the external HD in 20 minutes. Using DVDs that would have required 5 of them and probably taken 5+ hours to do.

Skybird · Answer

What burning software is installed on your system?

ebette · Answer

thank you, Skybird, I just don't know how to go about doing it the way you suggest.  I am not quite that computer savvy.  I would need step by step instructions.  If you have the time and can do that for me, I would very much appreciate it.

ebette · Answer

I have downloaded so many programs, and have games, etc. that I want to back up.  Is there any way I can do that to a CD?  I have Robo Form, and I have downloaded Zone Alarm, the Weather Bug, etc.  A lot of programs that aren't on my installation disks.  I don't really care about the music, because all I have is CD's that I have copied to Real Player, so I can listen to them while I am on my computer.  There surely is a way to back up my computer to CD's.

Skybird · Answer

Yes there is. What I believe Jim Hardin was trying to tell you was that
if you really want to use CDs to do it, you cannot do it in one single
sweep. If, for example, you have a 640Mb CDR disk, you can create a
data disk of 640Mb or less of your programs and data, then burn that.
Then you take a second disk and again create a data disk with some of
your other programs and data and burn that. You continue this until
all of your programs and data are burned to the disks. The single file
size will be the size of the disk.

Rather than viewing what you want to back-up as a huge block of data,
you need to break into smaller segments to fit the size limitations
of the optical media.

Also consider that many programs, such as ZoneAlarm, are on the internet
and are always available for download.

ebette · Answer

At one time I started a back up using 100 mb Zip disks.  When one disk was full, I would be instructed to put in another disk.  The download would then continue.  I ran out of Zip disks.  I thought it would be the same way with the Cd's.  I thought I would be told when it was full, and instructed to put in another disk. Too bad it doesn't work that way.  It was pretty easy.

ebette · Answer

I don't know what you mean by burning software.  There is a backup wizard that helps me.  I have a CD-RW drive, a CD-DVD drive, a floopy disk drive.  I also have an external Zip Drive.  Does any of that answer your question?

Skybird · Answer

On your system you likely have some burning software.  Look in your list of programs.Select Start then All Programs.  In the list of programs see if you find Sonic, Roxio,or Nero.

ebette · Answer

I can buy 4 more Zip disks for $40.  I think I can get my whole back up on 8 to 10 Zip Disks of 100 MB each.  I didn't realize it was going to cost me so much to back up my PC.  This started out to be a simple endeavor.

ebette · Answer

okay, I have Sonic.  When I go to back up it wants me to upgrade to 'Sonic backup my PC' for $79.99.  It doesn't offer any other options.

Skybird · Answer

Run Sonic RecordNow and use Data to create a data disk. It will allow
you to drag the files you want into the window. At the lower left it will
keep track of the disk usage. As the indicator approaches zero MB Free,
burn the data by selecting the Red button. When finished, clear the
window then drag the rest of the data into it. When satisfied, use the Red
button again and burn the second disk. Repeat until all the data you want
is burned to the disk.

http://support.dell.com/support/topics/global.aspx/support/kb/en/document?dn=1085918&l=en&langid=1&c=us&cs=19&s=dhs#2

ebette · Answer

thank you, Skybird.  I will try that tomorrow.

ebette · Answer

Skybird,  I sent an email to Dell tech support, and guess what.  They have a new Operating System CD that they are going to send me that allows me to back up my system.  They said it wasn't available for my computer when I bought it in 2002, but they are going to send it to me.  Sound like a perfect solution to me.

Storage, Drives & Media

CD-RW Cannot do backup, need help

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