Re: Backing up a Windows Installation

Most image boot recovery CDs made in the last few years do not contain the
DOS operating system. Rather, another like Windows CE for instance. Most
can access USB and Firewire connected hard drives, and if setup properly,
LAN connected hard drives for image recovery purposes.
--
Jonny
"John Barnett MVP" <freelanceit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OemVbx6vGHA.2444@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
You would have to image the hard drive using third party software such as
Acronis or Paragon or even Ghost. Depending upon the amount of disk space
your current XP installation takes the imaging software - acronis and
ghost in particular - can compress the data to fit onto a DVD. If the
software cannot shrink the image to fit on a DVD it will usually offer to
'span' the image file over a number of CD's or DVD. This is by far the
simlest method of backing up the whole drive.

In my case i have a triple boot system, XP Home, XP Pro and Vista. Each
system is imaged and stored on DVD. However, XP Pro (because this is the
operating system i use from day to day) is also backed up to a seperate
partition on my hard drive. If i need to re-install XP Pro (via an Image)
then i usually boot up to Windows XP Home, run Acronis or Ghost and then
re-image the XP Pro drive back. You would be able to do a similar thing
with your USB drive 'if' you had a dual boot system. As you don't have a
dual boot system you would have to rely upon the imaging software's DOS
based recovery CD. In this instance i'm not sure if the USB drive would
be accessible. If this is the case you would not be able to access the
image file. You would, however, be able to access an image from a DVD or
CD.

--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org

The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
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mail..

"umwhat" <me somewhere@somewhere else.com> wrote in message
news:934B3484-A9E5-454D-9084-126DA44B6075@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Can I back up my whole harddrive to a USB harddrive E: with Windows XP
Home Edition ? I could use Nero 6.6 , and then if I want a fresh copy of
my
whole new installation could I copy the backup on the drive E: ?


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my signature




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