Backup to DVD on XP Home Edition

[RSLancastr]

How can I do backups to DVD on XP Home Edition?

Do I need some third-party software, or is there something built into XP I can use?

I've never done full backups, just a system restore disk set, and have done backups of certain important things to CD, but never to DVD.

Any help would be appreciated.

[The Sopwith Turtle]

If you insert a blank DVD you can just drag and drop the files to the DVD drive. A little button in the notification area should say something like "Click here to write to disk." Basically it's the same way that you'd burn a CD.

[RSLancastr]

No, that does not work. When I do that, it thinks it is copying the files to a CD (the drive is a DVD/CD-RW drive). It prepares the files as though it will be writing them to a CD. When I tell it to write the files, it says "there is no disc in drive D:", even though there is a blank DVD-R disc in there.

Did I buy the wrong kind of blank DVD?

:(

[BenK]

As far as I know XP does not come with DVD burning software. Did you add your DVDR drive later? Normally if it came with the computer it will include basic burning software like Nero or Adaptec.

[Vitnir]

If it's a DVD/CD-RW drive it can read DVD/CD but only write CD.

[Smike]

As Vitnir says, if it's a DVD/CD-RW drive it won't write to DVD, and you can ignore the rest of this post.

...If it's a DVD-RW drive:

XP home edition does not write to DVD. I assume professional doesn't either, but whatever.

As BenK said, most drives will have come with some software. If yours didn't, the free version of DeepBurner (http://www.deepburner.com/?r=download) is what I use.

[Beady]

XP home edition does not write to DVD. I assume professional doesn't either, but whatever.

I have a Toshiba M45 that came with XP Home, and one of the included apps was WinDVD Creator. I used it to make DVDs (not CDs) of our vacation last year. It handles both stills and movies.

[Chris Haynes]

No, that does not work. When I do that, it thinks it is copying the files to a CD (the drive is a DVD/CD-RW drive). It prepares the files as though it will be writing them to a CD. When I tell it to write the files, it says "there is no disc in drive D:", even though there is a blank DVD-R disc in there.

Did I buy the wrong kind of blank DVD?

:(

That happened to me with my laptop some four or so years ago. I was assured by HP Support that there was Roxio software to write DVDs... except dear hubby had flat-lined and reloaded my new computer to make it work "better", and the system CDs did not have any Roxio software!

It did turn out that one of my Christmas presents, Adobe Album 2.0, was able to write to the DVD just fine (archiving videos and photos). The Ulead VisualStudio movie software was also able to write to DVD (the movies, which took this poor little laptop 6 hours to render).

So I went and bought Sonic RecordNow Deluxe... which worked just fine. With the added bonus of being able to rip music CDs into mp3 files (plus some movie editing). So while this laptop is no longer making movies... it is used to rip the family CDs (I spend a week a while ago reading a book while I ripped over 20 years of music CDs, about 12 days of music... now I have do do that to our classical collection).

To do movies better (only a bit over 2 hours to render a 2 hour movie) we go a newer (refurbished) HP desktop from HP. It came with seperate DVD writing software: Roxio/Sonic RecordNow (not deluxe, no music ripping, nor any video editing).

Check to make sure your DVD/CD drive can actually write to DVD, and then go get some third party software to write DVDs. Or see if some other software you have already does it like I found with Adobe Album and the movie software I had.

Also, for backup we use Acronis software (http://acronis.com)to create an image, but backup the images onto an external hard drive (our images are much larger than the 4.7 Gb that a DVD can handle... my photo archive takes up 2 DVDs). Which reminds me... both of my computers are due for a backup (which was handy when I accidently deleted Paint Shop Pro and I still cannot find which child has the program disks!).

[Smike]

I have a Toshiba M45 that came with XP Home, and one of the included apps was WinDVD Creator. I used it to make DVDs (not CDs) of our vacation last year. It handles both stills and movies.

The point I'm making is that the ability to write DVDs is not built into XP (in the way the writing to CDs is). Obviously, one can use other applications (one of which I suggested) to do this.

[Lisa Simpson]

We use Norton Ghost to back up to DVD. Which reminds me, I really should back up the laptop.

[Dogbreath]

If you have a DVD burner and are looking for free Windows burning software try

CDBurnerXP Pro
http://www.cdburnerxp.se/

is supports, "burn any Data on CD-R/CD-RW/DVD+R/DVD-R/DVD+RW/DVD-RW"

[Corpse Cruncher]

Now I know that the problem I thought was me being a nincoompoop with is genuine. Now I know how to cure it.

[RSLancastr]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

If it's a DVD/CD-RW drive it can read DVD/CD but only write CD.Well now, that's the odd thing...

When I look at My Computer, the drive is listed as "DVD/CD-RW Drive D:".

However, I know for a fact that it can burn DVDs.

For one thing, the the door of the drive says "hp dvd writer / cd-writer combo."

For another thing, I've burned DVDs with it in the past, including my system backup discs.

After BenK's mention of Nero above, I tried my version of Nero Backup, but it does not seem to work. It keeps reading the disc as non-writable.

I am beginning to wonder if perhaps somehow the incorrect driver is installed for the drive or something. Several months ago, my hard drive went south, and I had to have it replaced. I don't recall for certain wheter or not I have burned any DVDs since then.

This brings up the possibility of the driver being incorrect, as well as the possibility which just occurred to me: the people in the shop who replaced the hard drive might have switched DVD drives on me.

Hmmm...

[alfaniner]

You may not be aware that there are different formats of DVDs. DVR+R, DVD-R, and maybe the same with DVD RWs. The plus or minus may be important as your drive might read and/or write to one but not the other. I had bought a whole stack of minuses when I needed pluses.

I assumed that since I only ever saw "CD-R" or "CD-RW" the dash was just a separator for the DVDs as well, and not an important format clue.

[RSLancastr]

Good point, alfa. I had assumed because of the "MyComputer" description, that -RW was the way to go. I will look at the DVDs I have burned in the past to see what type they were. Thanks.

[Vitnir]

http://forums.randi.org/imagehosting/thum_49845def369df911.jpg (http://forums.randi.org/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4302)

This is the markings on my DVD-burner, on the CD-only burners there is no "R/RW" below the DVD-logo.

[Rat]

The only advice I can give is to always buy Pioneer (and never Sony) drives, and use Retrospect to back up. This is from extensive and painful experience. Pioneer drives will read from and write to any disc (in my experience, and excluding DVD-RAM), while Sony drives will die within a week of the warranty running out (four times so far). Retrospect, while having a somewhat idiosyncratic interface, will back up/duplicate/whatever however you need, and on whatever schedule.