backup file questions

Hi Im having a little trouble with making a full backup. Im using DriveImage XML and ive made the backup but i want to put it on a dvd+r but im not sure on how to do this without messing it up and im not sure how to check and make sure i got it right. Im not familiar with partitions or what they are. And how do i make a bootable disk or is that a lack of a better term a "disc." I could really use some help because its stopping my defrag and stops defragging my harddrive im using vista and using iobit defrag it says "not enough space?" Thanks in advance

 

I don't use Driveimage XML myself, but I do use similar products and might be able to help a little.

First, your defrag problem. It is extremely unlikely that Driveimage is the cause of defrag not running. One possibility is that your disk is simply too full for defrag to be able to run. How big is the disk, and what used/free space does it have? You can see this in the drive's Properties.

Next, partitions. Your disk may or may not have been partitioned (divided up into two or more sections called drives), but as supplied usually they are not. Each partition has its own drive letter and all partitions will be listed in (My) Computer, Windows normally being installed on drive C. Tell us what drives are listed there and their sizes and we should be able to figure out whether or not your disk has been partitioned.

Now to your current backup. Backups of this type cannot be stored on the same drive that was backed up, so where is this backup now? Normally with this type of program backups are stored on an external hard drive or on DVD, though they can also be stored on a different partition on the same disk, or on a second internal hard disk. Your question about how to move it to DVD is therefore a bit of a puzzle.

Finally the most important one - the bootable disk. One of the reasons I chose a different product from yours is that AFAIK Driveimage XML does not have the facility built in to create the all-important boot disk. I believe it requires you to build a boot disk using WinPE. This makes life a bit more difficult, because competing programs, such as Macrium Reflect or Easeus ToDo will build an ISO for you to burn to CD. With such a CD you can boot your computer and restore your backup even when Windows won't boot, and without such a CD your backup may be useless. Perhaps a Driveimage XML user can elaborate this aspect for you.

Hope this helps, and come back if you need further information.

 

For the defrag issue the backup files are still on the C Drive and the defrag program detects fragmented files within the backup file and cannot defrag them for some reason and so i figure if i can move the backup to a bootable cd, (thought the backup was too big for a cd that"s the explanation for the dvd.) then that problem will go away.

The backup file is in C:\users\ users' name\documents\backup C Drive\drive_C.xml

Sizes and disks i have are: local disk (C: ) used space-122GB/ free space 17GB and Local Disk (E: ) used space 25GB/ free space 207GB

Are any of the following programs freeware as we know moneys always tight nowadays: WinPE or Easus ToDO

 

Your defrag problem is what I suspected - it is not possible to defrag a drive with only 17GB free and 122GB used. However I repeat, you *cannot* store an image on the drive that is being imaged. You MUST direct the backup somewhere else - in your case a DVD would be best, but you could also send it to E:. The problem with E:, which appears to be a second partition on your HDD, is that should the HDD fail your backup will die with it.

Easeus ToDo is free, as is Macrium Reflect, and both can be downloaded here at MG. Rather than have the extra complication introduced by WinPE I recommend you get either of these two and create a new backup on DVD, and create and test the boot disk they require for image restoration.

 

So if is not possible to defrag a drive with that size of space used is there a way to defrag it and how would i test the boot disk they require for image restoration and know its good

 

First I suggest you delete the Driveimage backup off drive C, and if your free space is then 30GB or more (more than 20% of the drive capacity) it should defrag OK. You could also move other stuff to E, where you have loads of free space.

Testing a boot disk just entails ensuring you can boot your computer with it, and that when booted it can see both the drive containing the backup, the source drive, and the drive to which the backup would be restored, the target drive. You then proceed with the restore process right up to, but stopping before the final Proceed button.

 

is there a quick and easy way to move files from one drive to the other with out doing it manually or can i just change the file path

Oh yeah thanks for all the instant feed back it helps out a lot with constant feedback

 

It's manual I'm afraid, but certain folders - such as My Docs, My Pics, My Music - can be moved to another drive simply going into their Properties and using the Move button. This may be your simplest and best option by moving them to E. Personally I think this is the right thing to do anyway, as it keeps your personal files separate from the OS and so greatly simplifies backup of both.

 

is there any way to compress these files to fit on a 4.7gb DVD? pics and music mostly but a lot of them. Pics takes up 10gbs music about 25gbs or more. Im going to wipe the E:\ and put the windows seven on it and have the C:\ as the slave. Oh and another question is there a way to switch between each OS or would i have to just keep switching the hard drives back and forth from slave to master because my girlfriend likes vista which i think is a piece of garbage runs like crap and always one problem after the next and that's way i don't want to pack all of it into the slave drive E:\ this way i can put all of the pics and music onto the new windows 7 drive and have a back up of just music and pics on the disc

 

There are several compression utilities available but they are only useful for minimising the size of backups. You still need your music etc in native format if you want to be able to listen to it.

You haven't really been clear about your present setup, but if you have Vista or XP on C then you can do a clean install of Win 7 to E and it will automatically set up a dual boot option for you, so you can choose at boot which to go into.

Can't agree at all about Vista, there must be malware or something. My Vista is fast, rock steady, and after using the Win 7 release candidate for six months I'm underwhelmed and wouldn't even consider replacing Vista with it.

 

Yeah sorry about that thought i said something but its vista and i just did the read and run me first and found a trojan and some adware/malware but ill see how it runs now thanks for all the advice and ill let you know how the backup goes and if i need any help