Backing up a fresh OS/HDD install to a DVD-R?

[Raphael Argus]

I'm curious, after you do a HDD format and reinstall your OS is it possible to do a complete HDD backup to a DVD-R? Even after I install my updated drivers and a couple apps I'm at like 3.5gbs, and it would be awesome to be able to backup the whole thing to a DVD-R and the next time I need to do a fresh format and OS install I could somehow use the DVD-R.

Is this possible? What software programs would be needed or used to backup the whole HDD and boot sector and then used to recopy it?

Sorry if this is a crazy question, I have no idea if it's possible...

 

[Osiris]

you will need to make an image using norton ghost to the dvd

 

[Raphael Argus]

Ah, so it can be done? I have an old version of Norton Ghost that I used to make an image onto a 2nd HDD a couple years ago, but did not know it would work with a DVD-R.

I'm sure I can figure out how to use Norton Ghost to get the image onto a DVD-R, but how exactly do you go about the HDD format and getting the image back onto the drive?

Thanks!

 

[Osiris]

boot from your xp cd...format it, install xp, install all programs, settings, etc, then make the image

 

[Raphael Argus]

Oh, my apology, I meant how would I go about restoring the image? I try to reformat every 4 months or so, and I just did a clean install last week so I'll make the image now. Just curious to know how I would handle it when I'm ready to restore =)

 

[Osiris]

well you can boot from it or execute it

 

[Raphael Argus]

Ah, that would make sense. I guess I could boot from the DVD-R, format my HDD, then use Norton Ghost from the DVD-R to ghost the image over to the freshly formatted HDD.

Thanks Warez Monster =)

 

[Osiris]

Yup...you got it