Help requested on computer DVD backup

[hyphenate]

I've always backed up to a CD and Nero, and just recently realized that since my burner also can burn DVDs, that I could burn a data DVD that would hold a helluva lot more than the CDs could hold. That meant that some of my files, which are actually over the 750MB limit could actually be written to disk without any trouble.

So today I burned my first DVD with files. I have a program which compares the contents and does it character by character and am currently running that to make sure that everything is an exact copy of its original on my drive, but there is still a part of me that is a little queasy doing something new like that. Normally, when I run a backup to CD, I have no problem deleting the original files once the verification is done, but since we're talking 4.7GB per disk, I'm a little squeamish.

I also opened several of the files in Windows Explorer just to make sure that they are readable, and that turned out fine. I can't think of any other tests to do before I purge the originals. Some of these files are unique, but since I really need to free up space, all I want to do is make sure that the backup is a working copy.

Anyone have any issues with backing up data to a DVD rather than to a CD? Should I be satisfied with the tests I've run and go for it?

I'm not normally this hesitant, but that's an awful lot of files to blithely delete.

[Daisy Adair]

1. Make sure you attempt to open those files on another machine, too.

One without Nero. This will ensure that the DVD was burned in a format readable on machines without Nero installed.

Good luck!!

[mr blur]

2. I've burned lots of stuff to DVD with Nero

Always Verify the disc after burning. I've never lost any data in over 50 dvds.

Bear in mind that the life of a burnable CDR or DVD-r is limited. Here's a scary little story I found today on ComputerWorld magazine's website:

Storage expert warns of short life span for burned CDs And don't count on hard disk drives for long-
term storage, either


News Story by John Blau

JANUARY 10, 2006 (COMPUTERWORLD) - Although opinions vary on how to preserve data on digital storage media, such as optical CDs and DVDs, Kurt Gerecke, a physicist and storage expert at IBM Deutschland GmbH, takes this view: If you want to avoid having to burn new CDs every few
years, use magnetic tapes to store all your pictures, videos and songs for a lifetime.

"Unlike pressed original CDs, burned CDs have a relatively short life span of between two to five years, depending on the quality of the CD," Gerecke said in an interview this week. "There are a few things you can do to extend the life of a burned CD, like keeping the disc in a cool, dark space, but not a whole lot more."

The problem is material degradation. Optical discs commonly used for burning, such as CD-R and CD-RW, have a recording surface consisting of a layer of dye that can be modified by heat to store data. The degradation process can result in the data "shifting" on the surface and thus becoming
unreadable to the laser beam.

"Many of the cheap burnable CDs available at discount stores have a life span of around two years," Gerecke said. "Some of the better-quality discs offer a longer life span, of a maximum of five years."

http://tinyurl.com/8r99u

(edit:sp.)