April 18, 2002

This is a special note for anyone using Microsoft Backup to backup your data files to a CD-RW disk. I have had several clients who have had problems with doing backups to CD-RW disks. The problem has been that after a while, the usable size of the disk shrinks to the point where you don't have enough room to do a backup. You get a disk full or similar message when it attempts to do the backup. Let's say for example, you have a backup which is 100meg. When you look at the disk, it shows the correct file size but indicates the disk is full.

The reason this happens is the MS Backup program does not write to the disk through the Direct CD packet writing software, but writes to it directly. This is not the proper way to write to CD-RW disks. Therefore, your backup file may or may not work. To correct this problem, change the "Where to backup" location from the CD to a directory on the hard drive (be sure to save the change by clicking on Job, then Save, and do this for all your backup jobs). Do the backup the way you always have, start the program and click the Start button.

The step you need to add is to do the backup, start up Windows Explorer, and copy the file from the directory on the hard drive to the CD-RW.  Now, everything should be OK.

If you have any questions or comments, click