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Disk backup first to USB then to bootable DVD?? Help!!

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Hello,

I'm trying to create a backup of my complete harddrive, and I want it on a bootable DVD. However, the problem is that the computer's CD/DVD drive is unable at the moment to write discs, only read (I don't know why, it always worked before I formatted the computer and reinstalled Windows).
Now, my question is, can I create a disk backup to a USB drive, and then reburn the USB drive's contents to a DVD on a different computer. Will that DVD then be bootable when I run it?
Please, what is your suggestions on how I should accomplish what I'm trying to do? Thanks.

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1. I see no need for the DVD containing the backups to be bootable. When you want to restore, you may boot from the ATI bootable Rescue Media on either DVD/CD or USB flash drive. Create the ATI bootable Rescue Media to ensure it works with your hardware. You're complicating the situation by trying to have the backup media also be bootable, which is unnecessary.

2. You could transfer the .tib archive from a USB drive to a DVD. Bear in mind that if the size of your backup exceeds the DVD-R space limit (around 4 GB), it would have to span multiple disks which is awkward.

3. If you're going to backup regularly, which would be good ongoing protection, I recommend that you invest in an external USB hard drive. That will be far more convenient than DVD, and possibly more reliable long-term.

Thank you for replying.
No, this will be a one time thing. You see, it's an XP computer. Microsoft ends support for XP in less than a week, which means they will remove all XP updates from their website. What I want to do is format the computer, install a fresh XP copy, update to ensure I got the absolute latest updates before they remove them, then create a bootable media so next time that computer is in need of a format I can easily get it back to a fresh XP install, with all the latest updates that were available at the time M$ took them off their servers. The computer won't be connected to the internet after that occurs, so no need to worry about security threats etc.
Anyway, I really want the media to be bootable, so all I have to do is insert the disc and restore the PC, without neccessarily having Acronis on the harddrive in order to do it.
I am now considering going out to buy a cheap external USB disc burner. The total size of the data needing to be burned probably exceeds the capacity of a DVD slightly. But if I do get a burner, will it be difficult to accomplish what I want to do, if it requires two DVD's instead of one? Please enlighten me.

Mary Ann Whitmore wrote:
Anyway, I really want the media to be bootable, so all I have to do is insert the disc and restore the PC, without neccessarily having Acronis on the harddrive in order to do it.

You're not understanding me. You would not need ATI installed on the PC. To restore, you would boot from the ATI bootable Rescue Media on either DVD/CD or USB flash drive. There is no need for the backup media to be bootable.

Mary Ann Whitmore wrote:
The total size of the data needing to be burned probably exceeds the capacity of a DVD slightly. But if I do get a burner, will it be difficult to accomplish what I want to do, if it requires two DVD's instead of one? Please enlighten me.

When creating the backup, select the option in ATI to split the backup into DVD-sized pieces.

But, if you're going to the expense of buying an external DVD burner, why not put that money towards an external USB hard drive? An external USB hard drive will be useful for many more things, especially for regular backups of your other PCs.

Oh I see. But doing it that way, will really everything on the hdd be included? By everything I mean, drivers included, all various settings in Windows (like desktop background, icons settings, and so on), installed programs, etc? Because I was planning on doing a second restore version as well, where I've got all drivers and settings to the way I want it.
I will follow your instructions when creating the discs, but just out of curiosity, the way I was trying to create it, when would one use that feature?
PS: I've got over ten 3-TB WD externals, but I want this restore on a regular disc. I'm old school I guess. :-)

You're confusing me. What "feature" are you referring to?

Whether you restore after booting from the ATI bootable Rescue Media, or from essentially the same tool on your backup DVD, the restore process would be the same. Whether that restores everything or not depends upon how you created your backup.

Create a full disk mode Backup, selecting the checkbox for the entire disk (not just individual partitions). That ensures that you have everything you need, and you won't need to understand how the disk is laid out with possible hidden partitions. A full disk mode Backup captures everything, and is the simplest, safest backup method.

I was following this guide here when I was trying to create my backup:
https://kb.acronis.com/content/44351

Is that the way you reccomend me doing my backup?

Create a full disk mode Backup, selecting the checkbox for the entire disk (not just individual partitions).

Grover's How to Create/Manage Backup Tasks & Backups within Windows (includes How to Create a "Disk Image" or "Disk Mode" Image or "Disk mode" image & more) http://forum.acronis.com/forum/38691

I'm sorry but I can't get this to work. I did the "disk mode" and it completes the backup, but when I reboot with the disc in the drive it does not load the disc, it just bypasses as if nothing is in the drive and it loads Windows. My BIOS is set to boot from the DVD-ROM drive firstly, then HDD, yet it doesn't work.
Also I'm confused that my harddrive currently shows 6.1 of files yet the whole backup only took up about half of the DVD-R. I understand there is a compression of the files but that much?

Sorry to bug you more, but can you please tell me step by step what I need to do to get this done? The guide you linked to is for Acronis 2009 and it's different, yet I tried to follow it and believe I did everything it said to do, but I still can't insert the burned media and restore the system, PC just loads Windows as usual. Plz help..! ~Mary

Good to hear. You're welcome.