Imaging to Multiple DVD+RW Discs

Sorry if I'm a bit dense, but after reading the "Recipe for imaging to DVD+RW" thread and the two threads referenced in it ("creating image and burning to DVD" and "error message using internal DVD-RW"), I'm a bit confused.

I've never been able to make TI8 create images within Windows XP Pro, a problem that Acronis support has been working on for some time without success. Creating images of one of my HD partitions to another partition from the Boot CD seems to work well. However, I can't make an image directly on a DirectCD formatted DVD+RW. TI reports that there is no disc in the drive, even though Windows Explorer says it is there and has 4.69 GB free. My three HD partitions each contain more than 5 GB, so I need to back each up to multiple DVDs. I understand that I'll have to put two 1.9 GB (or even many 635 MB) image files on each DVD. I have the following questions:

1) How can I write directly to the DVDs? But do I really want to? Did I understand the above threads correctly that it is faster to write the images to a HD partition and then write them to the DVDs? If so, I may not want to write to the DVDs after all.

2) If I write images first to the HD, I know TI can check them there, but can it also check the images on the DVD to guard against errors in that transfer?

3) Using the Boot CD, I can restore an image that spans multiple DVDs? (It sounded like maybe not?) That could be a problem if Windows won't load and my C: partition is on two DVDs. (A possible workaround might be to use Bart PE to copy the image files off the DVDs to another HD partition and restore them from there with the Boot CD, but that's not very satisfactory.) I think a sophisticated program like TI really should be able to handle DVD spanning.

4) The threads mentioned both copying images from HD to DirectCD formatted DVDs and also using CD Creator. With CD Creator, I think burning them as a multisession project and as iso files were both mentioned.Would one of these methods would work better for my needs as described above, or is one better in general?

Sorry this is so long with so many questions. Any help I can get would be much appreciated.

 

Possibly doesn't help much with your question, but I have come to the conclusion that writing to an external disk is a much better option than using CDs/DVDs simply because :

- No file splitting or disk spanning issues
- Can use automated (i.e. scheduled) backups - no human presence needed.
- A lot more robust and reliable
- Faster to read and write (and verify)
- Easier to manage multiple images (no need to have dozens of disks kicking around). They are all there in one place, organised by directory structure if you wish.

 

Yeah, you're right. I may end up buying an external HD and doing it that way. My main reason for using removable media is to have multiple copies of my backups with the ability to store a copy in another location, though I haven't actually done that yet.

Thanks for your reply.

 

The way prices have come down on external HD's. I chose to use two external HD's, keep one here and one at my son's house.
Then rotate them from time to time.
Of course I only have less then twenty GB's of info on my "C" drive.
But I think this method will work for others how may have more files on their HD.

 

Don't mean to be pushy, but notwithstanding the above, does anyone have answers to any of my questions? I'd appreciate it. Thanks.

 

Image to your hard drive first, then burn to DVD using standard authoring software. (Not Drag & Drop)

This will be the least problematic approach.

If you would like to make the DVDs bootable, then use the instructions that I have put together here.