Question

Backup files and directories to multiple DVDs

Asked by: Eagle6990

I have a folder with 22 GB of data in it that I want to backup to multiple DVDs to give to someone else.  The folder has lots of subfolders with lots of pictures and documents.  I want them to be able to put the disk in and read it without any special software, but I also don't want to have to split the files up myself so they fit on each DVD.  Any software out there that will either do the backup for me, or at least split the directories up into 4.7 GB sections I can burn?  Cheap is good, free is better.

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Asked On
2009-08-02 at 12:33:46ID24620152
Topics

Microsoft Windows Operating Systems

,

Windows Vista

,

Windows XP Operating System

Participating Experts
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Comments
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Answers

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-08-02 at 13:35:54ID: 25000390

Not free, but Roxio Easy CD Creator makes this trivial ==> you simply select what you want burned, and it will prompt you when it needs another disk.      It puts a small program on each of the DVDs (Roxio Retrieve) that lets you view the complete set of DVDs with an Explorer-like view and will prompt for the necessary DVD to retrieve whatever you want.   VERY seamless -- I use it for all my major backups ... and have sets of up to 44 DVDs (for a 192GB folder).

There are many free options -- 7Zip will compress all the files into an archive, which be be split into DVD-size "pieces",  GSplit will let you split any large files into a group of self-combining parts,  etc.    But all of these require some interaction from you ... which you indicated you'd like to avoid.    The Roxio package is as seamless as I'm aware of -- NO interaction from you required except to change the DVDs when needed ... and the same is true for the recipient => just insert a DVD, select what to recover (a single click to select all) ... and then just insert the DVDs as requested.

 

by: optomaPosted on 2009-08-02 at 14:02:01ID: 25000491

http://cdburnerxp.se/download.php is free but dont think it will auto split for you

 

by: Eagle6990Posted on 2009-08-02 at 15:36:50ID: 25000903

I use CDBurnerXP, Infrarecorder, and IMGBurn for freeware burning, but auto-split is a must for this project.

I'll look into Easy CD Creator.  I have a licensed copy of Nero 7, maybe they have a similar feature?

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-08-02 at 16:57:49ID: 25001199

No, Nero doesn't do the splits -- I have both Nero 8 and Roxio ECDC v9.     Nero has some nice features, but Roxio's automatic spanning is VERY nice ... as I noted above, you don't have to do anything special to use it ==> you simply select what you want to burn (e.g. your 22GB folder) and just start the burning process ... it will automatically include the Roxio Retrieve utility, and will prompt you to switch CDs/DVDs (whichever you're using) when needed.

... Note:   You can find older versions of Roxio on ebay for much less than the current (2009) version:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ROXIO-EASY-MEDIA-CREATOR-10-SUITE-NEW-EMC-10-MULTIMEDIA_W0QQitemZ220460786911QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Software?hash=item33547ca4df&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

 

by: Eagle6990Posted on 2009-08-02 at 18:40:51ID: 25001479

I just installed my Nero 7 Ultra and using the BackItUp application, it is doing a backup across multiple DVDs so I think I am set.  I told it not to compress so it would leave the files untouched.

 

by: garycasePosted on 2009-08-02 at 19:09:27ID: 25001555

I'd forgotten about the BackItUp utility that comes with Ultra -- but yes, that will do the trick.    And if I remember correctly, it also installs a small retrieval utility for easily selecting the files to recover from the DVD set ... just like Roxio Retrieve.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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