Vista - Complete PC Backup Problem

I've just bought an NEC Powermate X9000 using Windows Vista Ultimate and have
tried twice now to start a complete PC backup using DVD - R.

On the first attempt I used SKC DVD-R with 4.7GB and got a message saying
there was something wrong with the disc , possibly some damage or a scratch.
I tried a second disc from the same pack but got the same message plus an
additional message saying there was insufficient room on the disc.

On the second attempt I used Verbatim DVD-R 4.7 GB and got exactly the same
messages as above.

I initilalised the discs first.

What type of disc should I use and what amount of storage should they have?
There can't have been something wrong with all the discs I tried I'm sure.
Could something else have produced the message about the disc possibly being
damaged?

I don't wont to risk going on too much longer without doing a complete
system backup.

Hoping you can help

Chrissie

Smart decision to back up all...............
What program are you using?? a good backup/imaging program should be able to
span the backup across multiple DVDs.
I know Vista has a Repair option when you boot from the Vista DVD where you
can restore a Backup...do you have a Vista DVD??? or did your system come
with only a "restore" partition???
might I suggest you use a program like Acronis True Image...it can and will
create an Image of your HD that you can restore if/when Vista will not
boot.It lets you create a bootable recovery disk which lets you boot your
system without Vista and from there restore the Image.It also allows you to
do backups..full or incremental.
If you do a google for it you can read about its capabilities.
peter
"chrissie" <chrissie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:90377DAE-D360-4A8A-83CF-C5A8CB03DECF@microsoft.com...
> I've just bought an NEC Powermate X9000 using Windows Vista Ultimate and
> have
> tried twice now to start a complete PC backup using DVD - R.
>
> On the first attempt I used SKC DVD-R with 4.7GB and got a message saying
> there was something wrong with the disc , possibly some damage or a
> scratch.
> I tried a second disc from the same pack but got the same message plus an
> additional message saying there was insufficient room on the disc.
>
> On the second attempt I used Verbatim DVD-R 4.7 GB and got exactly the
> same
> messages as above.
>
> I initilalised the discs first.
>
> What type of disc should I use and what amount of storage should they
> have?
> There can't have been something wrong with all the discs I tried I'm
> sure.
> Could something else have produced the message about the disc possibly
> being
> damaged?
>
> I don't wont to risk going on too much longer without doing a complete
> system backup.
>
> Hoping you can help
>
> Chrissie

Hi Peter

Thank you for your reply and comments. They were very helpful.

Yes, my system did only come with a "restore" partition - I did not get a
Vista DVD.

Thank you for your advise about restore/imaging programmes. I am reading up
about Acronis True Imade now.

Chrissie

"peter" wrote:

> Smart decision to back up all...............
> What program are you using?? a good backup/imaging program should be able to
> span the backup across multiple DVDs.
> I know Vista has a Repair option when you boot from the Vista DVD where you
> can restore a Backup...do you have a Vista DVD??? or did your system come
> with only a "restore" partition???
> might I suggest you use a program like Acronis True Image...it can and will
> create an Image of your HD that you can restore if/when Vista will not
> boot.It lets you create a bootable recovery disk which lets you boot your
> system without Vista and from there restore the Image.It also allows you to
> do backups..full or incremental.
> If you do a google for it you can read about its capabilities.
> peter
> "chrissie" <chrissie@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:90377DAE-D360-4A8A-83CF-C5A8CB03DECF@microsoft.com...
> > I've just bought an NEC Powermate X9000 using Windows Vista Ultimate and
> > have
> > tried twice now to start a complete PC backup using DVD - R.
> >
> > On the first attempt I used SKC DVD-R with 4.7GB and got a message saying
> > there was something wrong with the disc , possibly some damage or a
> > scratch.
> > I tried a second disc from the same pack but got the same message plus an
> > additional message saying there was insufficient room on the disc.
> >
> > On the second attempt I used Verbatim DVD-R 4.7 GB and got exactly the
> > same
> > messages as above.
> >
> > I initilalised the discs first.
> >
> > What type of disc should I use and what amount of storage should they
> > have?
> > There can't have been something wrong with all the discs I tried I'm
> > sure.
> > Could something else have produced the message about the disc possibly
> > being
> > damaged?
> >
> > I don't wont to risk going on too much longer without doing a complete
> > system backup.
> >
> > Hoping you can help
> >
> > Chrissie
>
>