burning clone to dvd

[Jim1]

Hi: Looking for a free, if possible, program that will allow me to burn a cloned hard drive to backup DVD disks. I've cloned an o/s, with programs, etc. to external hard drive and would like to burn the contents to DVDs for archive purposes, and relese the hard drive for other use. Thoughts are always appreciagted. Regards, Jim S

[Shinma]

?
If you used a program such as Acronis True Image,
Those files are treated as data.
Any DVD burning software that you currently use, should have no issues burning them.

Unless,
You are saying that your DVD writer was not packaged with a burning software...
If so,
Frequently mentioned free software/link,

• CDBurnerXP

No personal comments regarding CDBurnerXP.
I use an old version of nero, before it became bloated.

[Jim1]

Thanks much for your note. I have about 16Gb of cloned image on the external hard drive, and I do have a recent version of Nero Essentials, 7, I think. If I begin the burn on DVDs, will I get a message when to change the target disks to continue burning. Figured about four, possibly five DVD 4Gb disks ought to do the trick. I'm concerned about being notified when to change the target disk (s). Again, much thanks, Jim S

[photolady]

Nero will tell you when to change the disks out and insert a new one.

[Jim1]

Thanks much. Got the disks, the information, and am off to the Yelllow Brick Road. Jim S

[jdc2000]

You may to select the option to Verify the disks after burning. You wouldn't want to need them for a restore only to find one was bad.

[Steve R Jones]

I wonder if it'd be better to reclone the hard drive straight to DVD...

If the machine was really important - I'd clone it straight to another hard drive and then store that drive.

[jdc2000]

You can set Acronis to use a specific file size when creating an image backup. That is what I do when I want to copy an image backup to DVDs.

[Jim1]

Hi and thanks to all. Procedure? Do I select Copy DVD or Make Data DVD in Nero? :-} Jim S Might be best to step me as I've not done the clone to dvd dance before.

[Shinma]

Use the Make Data DVD option.

[Welshjim]

If the DVD will not accept all the data on the hard drive and/or has no procedure to tell you when it is necessary to put in a new DVD, set the burn session up to burn only the amount of data that will fit on one DVD. In other words, pick and chose the folders/files to copy each time.

[Jim1]

Hi: Set it up, and when burn begins, notified that data is too big to fit on disk. Remove disk and insert media capable of etc., Will try the Welshman's idea, and it's apparent by Nero won't give me a break and do the thinking for me so fare as amount of data on each 4Gb disk. Would be nice, reassuring, but such is not to be. Will try again. Jim S

[Jim1]

Hi: Finished with four DVD disks. Now, assuming I want to restore the donor comuter, how would I have to go about the procedure. Labeled disk 1, disk 2, etc. Jim S

[Train]

Insert disk 1 and follow the prompts.