Do I need to backup D:?

[ejames82]

my computer is a compaq presario with xpsp3 and 256 ram.
i used driveimage xml to create a backup image of my hard drive C:. do i also need to make a backup of my hard drive D:? i thought the D drive was specifically to make a "one time" copy of recovery CDs, and once that is done (i've already made the recovery CDs), it is no longer of any use, and basically wasted space.

 

[raybay]

You NEED to do some readying.
The D Drive is a partition from which you can do a reinstall. There is not enough room to back up to the D drive.

 

[captaincranky]

The recovery discs actually are the D/: backup! When inserted they rewrite that partition. Basically D/: is a Windows CD, and can be used for a "repair" install, whereas the recovery discs do a "clean install", complete with a reformat of C/: .

 

[ejames82]

thanks for the replies.

@raybay,
driveimage puts the backup in my documents. there was plenty of room for C:, so there would also be plenty for D:. maybe there's a misunderstanding here, probably by me.

@captainc,
are the recovery disks the equivalent of the xp installation disk, and could they help me install bart PE so i could make a boot disk with driveimage xml? from what i have read, i need the xp installation disk (which i don't have, and won't buy) to install bart PE?

 

[raybay]

Well, maybe, sometimes.
I don't know of any recovery partition on any software that works like repair mode. In all I have ever seen they are only to be used for a complete replacement of all data, wiping out the user's date.
Repair mode will usually save all the user data.
The version on partition is designed only for that manufacturers models, but includes drivers for that specific model.

OEM disks will sometimes work like the partition version.

The only fully usuable form is the Full Install, Retail version... which is twice as much as OEM version but is terrific to use.

 

[ejames82]

raybay,
i wish i would have used it, when i first made the disks. it would have been interesting to see what programmes were available to me, and what "junk" i would have had on the computer. now, so much has changed, i couldn't do it unless it was an emergency.
i can imagine the OEM installation disk is good. if it wasn't, and word got out, they wouldn't sell many, which is their objective.
thanks for the reply