Help! I have a new HP that has Windows 8, and I can NOT get it to back up to a DVD!

It worked fine when I first turned it on, and it allowed me to do a backup and then save an image file to DVD, but after I migrated files from my old pc, the backup will not prompt me for a new DVD when the first one gets filled up. I have tried to limit the backup to smaller files, but it still will not prompt me to put in the next DVD.

The IT rep at Staples, wher I purchased it, said I should buy an external backup, but this although this will probably work, I hate to spend extra money - it's a brand new machine with a brand new OP!

Is the Staples rep right? Is it planned by Microsoft that Windows will not allow a backup to DVDs?

What are your recomendations?

Thanks in advabnce for the help!

Hi,

DVDs have become great backup media. With capacities of nearly 5 gigabytes on a single disk you can place a LOT of data on one. Doing so needn't be difficult but there are a few options.Copying video DVDs on the other hand may not be that easy.

Chances are your DVD writer included software with it to be able to burn not only DVDs but CDs as well. That's always the best place to start. (If your drive did not include software, I've had good luck with Roxio Easy CD and DVD Creator.) I use these types of packages to copy files I've selected onto CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R media.

Here are some suggestions for you. hope it can do you a favor.
* Do not use the same DVD to store consecutive backup versions. It’s better to use different DVD media for each backup version (change the DVD media at each backup run). Use a set of DVDs and rotate them periodically (e.g.: take 7 DVD media, one for each week day; start with the first DVD again every 7 days). The reason for this is that in case the burn process fails, you still have the previous backup version on a different disc.
* Rewritable DVD media can be burned only a limited number of times. When strange errors happen, first consider whether if the DVD might be overburned (worn out) or not.
* Always test the DVD backed up data after burning. Backup4all has a special option to automate the test after a backup to DVD.