Cannot backup to dvd

Hi i just did a clean install of windows xp and added service pack 3 and wanted to back it up. I tried to make a backup using paragon backup and restore compact 10 but somehow, it wouldn't backup to dvd correctly.

It took 3 hours or so to do the backup - of a 4.5 GB fresh install. I think most of this was because it kept spinning up my dvd writer, writing a bit and then spinning it down again instead of just performing a constant process. I don't know why it is doing this.

The longest part actually seemed the bit where it said "writing last 300 or so MBs". It would also make funny loud clicking noises for some reason. When the backup was supposedly "complete" I right clicked on the log to do an integrity check but it wouldn't work. I then checked the dvd myself in windows explorer and found it couldn't be read properly by windows - either that or there was nothing on it. It certainly makes strange noises when trying to read it.

I decided to try again, by doing a backup from the recovery cd i had created from the program. Again, it was slow (but faster than it had been before) but again i got the same issues.

I know that windows doesn't come with dvd writer software by default, but i assume paragon includes some means of doing it in it's own software, i am just confused as to why it doesn't appear to work properly - or at least how i can get it to work.

I never had problems writing to dvds before on this machine, using nero or something and the same dvds i am writing to now (they say max 16x). The drive is an NEC dvd_rw ND-3540A if that helps at all.

Hopefully you can help me thanks for your time.

 

Hello,

As a work-around, what you can try to do is first backup locally to your hard drive. Then run the Recovery Media Builder found under Tools to create a standard recovery DVD, select "Advanced" and include the archive you had backed-up locally.

When time to restore, use the recovery DVD and point to the archive folder.

 

ok thanks, i used "back up to dvd" but selected the image writer and then once it was finished (after about 5 minutes) then i burned the iso to a dvd. That seems to have done the same as the method you said. I just hope the backup is reliable

Any idea why backing up straight to dvd is so problematic?