Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Backing up with Nero 5.5

Feb 2, 2005 11:29AM PST

I want to back up my entire system using CD-RWs. My OS is Windows 98 Se. My hard drive is 10GB (not large by today?s standards, I know.) I have Nero Burning ROM 5.5.10.13. I?ve tried reading the manuals but they might as well be written in Latin for as much as I can understand them.

How can I calculate how many disks I need to do the backup? Used space is only 1.41GB.

Is it correct that I need to format the disks before I can use them for backup. I don?t remember having to do this with disks I used previously.

Can someone tell me in PLAIN ENGLISH what things I need to check before I do a backup, how to do the backup and how to do the restore if I ever need to?

I know this is a lot to ask but I also know how good people in these forums are. TIA.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Don't mess with the fancy software. . .
Feb 2, 2005 11:50AM PST

Backup programs are flaky at best, and as you stated, how do you restore? And most backup programs will not back up the registry. I've been doing "computer stuff" for a long time and have yet to find a backup program that I like.

Just burn files you can't afford to loose like pictures, movies, bookmarks/favorites, emails, etc. to a CD-RW, or in your case maybe a DVD-RW.

Reason being in case of a major failure, just reinstalling the OS and programs is usually easier than trying a restore and it not work.

I have three PCs; mine, the wife's, and my web server. Once a week I erase the DVD-RW disks and burn what I listed above. Just look at your HD and burn what you can't afford to loose.

Good luck,

Click here to see the CNet faces, learn a little about internet
connections and data, and download free software.

Suppose you were an idiot. . . And suppose you were a member of Congress. . . But I repeat myself.
--Mark Twain

- Collapse -
Nero is good for files.
Feb 2, 2005 9:03PM PST

Or duplicating a CD or such. I do use such to backup my stuff, but I know to copy it back to the hard drive after I move to a new machine, etc...

It does not backup and restore an entire machine.

Bob