The Backup utility can create very large files...too large to fit on a DVD.
Is there a way to save these backup files to DVDs so I don't have to take up
space on an external hard drive?

If you are referring to the backup utility included with Windows XP
(then please say so when you ask a question) it does not do disc
spanning. You have to create a series of backup files each of which will
fit on a DVD.

Personally, if I had the choice of saving backups to optical media or an
external drive - and I do - I would choose the external drive in a
second. The external drive is much faster, more reliable, can be
scheduled and doesn't require that I hang around to swap media.

Also: Almost any third-party backup program you can buy is more
convenient than the Windows XP backup utility.

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

CuriousMark wrote:

Thanks very much. That answers my question. Yes...I am referring to the XP
utility. I run it automatically to back up my laptop to my office server, but
I wanted to know if there was some way of saving that file on a DVD so I
could have an archive that wouldn't take up so much space on the server.

CM

"Leonard Grey" wrote:

IIRC the backup file created by Microsoft Backup (as it's known) is
already compressed. I don't remember if the extent of compression is
selectable (so, for example, more compression produces a smaller backup
file.)

---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

CuriousMark wrote: