Full back-up help please

[tizerist]

HI.
As far as I can understand, a full backup is the next step onwards from a system restore, in that it restores everything, as opposed to system restore only doing some of the stuff.
I have had blue screen errors before and it wont even let me into the most basic functions of my machine, so what I would like to know is:
Would a full backup cover every eventuality?

I attempted one a minute ago only to be told that the 61 gig drive space I have "may not be enough".

So exactly how much space does this process require then?
Of course we all have different amount's of data on our computers and all, but surely this can't be right?

I would appreciate any guidance possible, as this process is new to me, and, it goes without saying, important too.
But not 61 gig + of importance.....

 

[Nodsu]

A full copy of ll your data requires the same amount of storage space as your data. (You may gain something with compression, but that depends on the exact kind of files you have). If you have 200GB of files, then the backup is not going to fit into 61GB.

Also, a full backup onto the same hard drive as your data is kind of pointless - when the drive dies, both your data and backup go. You should do the backup to some external media that you can disconnect from your computer and store in another building preferrably.