I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however,
is there a way I can completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that
will allow for an easy recreation of the OS and all apps and settings if I
then decide to move back to XP?

Image Backup Solutions

True Image:
http://www.acronis.com/

Ghost:
http://www.symantec.com/home_homeoff...r&pvid=ghost12

If your PC has a Seagate or Maxtor Hard Drive there is a utility (Seagate
DiscWizard)
which is based on Acronis True Image and is free:
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/support/downloads/

It's a matter of preference, all three are image backup utilities and work
well.
The backup (image file) needs to be created on a second drive (internal or
external).
Check each product to see if it's supports your storage media and interface
(USB, Etc.)

JS

<msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however,
>is there a way I can completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that
>will allow for an easy recreation of the OS and all apps and settings if I
>then decide to move back to XP?
>
>

<msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however,
>is there a way I can completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that
>will allow for an easy recreation of the OS and all apps and settings if I
>then decide to move back to XP?
>
>

Well, if you're going to image your entire hard drive, you need a target
hard drive other than the one you have.

Since the only thing you want to do is have a backup, and you'll need
another hard drive to image your entire hard drive, get another hard drive.

Pull out your current hard drive, and leave it out of the PC. Put in the
new hard drive and install Vista and whatever. Your backup is where you
left your old hard drive. Nix Vista before installing the former hard drive
as the boot drive. Vista install DVDs make good shotgun practice. PULL!
Dave

An imaging/ghosting program like JS mentioned needs either a partition on
your present HD or better a new HD....you can ceate an image on a partition
but ghosting requires another HD.If you are going to that route you might as
well buy and install another HD.Removing your present HD and setting it
aside....there is your backup.
Then install Vista onto the new HD and start from scratch...........if it
works to your satisfaction then you can reinstall the old HD as a slave
drive ,format XP off it and use it.
If You dont like Vista or it doesn't like your hardware then you can
reinstall the XP drive and move the Vista drive to the slave position and
format Vista off.
peter
<msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however,
>is there a way I can completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that
>will allow for an easy recreation of the OS and all apps and settings if I
>then decide to move back to XP?
>
>

CMS.com has that capability. It is called BounceBack. It is not free but is
a complete and total backup system.
An external HD is required.
<msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however,
>is there a way I can completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that
>will allow for an easy recreation of the OS and all apps and settings if I
>then decide to move back to XP?
>
>

It is a shame that you can no longer buy Romtec Trios Switches. (except on ebay).
I have computer in my shop with a Trios Switch and 3 separate hard drives. One for XP Pro, one for
Vista and one for Linux.
The switch lets you power and connect only one HD to the MB. Thus I have three separate computers
in one case. Yes, I could multi boot, but now each system acts like a totally independent hardware
setups, but only one monitor, speaker, printer, keyboard, mouse, NIC, etc.

"Lil' Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> <msnews.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am considering of formatting and installing Vista. Before I do, however, is there a way I can
>>completly backup my existing c: drive to a format that will allow for an easy recreation of the OS
>>and all apps and settings if I then decide to move back to XP?
>>
>>
>
> Well, if you're going to image your entire hard drive, you need a target hard drive other than the
> one you have.
>
> Since the only thing you want to do is have a backup, and you'll need another hard drive to image
> your entire hard drive, get another hard drive.
>
> Pull out your current hard drive, and leave it out of the PC. Put in the new hard drive and
> install Vista and whatever. Your backup is where you left your old hard drive. Nix Vista before
> installing the former hard drive as the boot drive. Vista install DVDs make good shotgun
> practice. PULL!
> Dave
>

"Lil' Dave" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

>Vista install DVDs make good shotgun practice. PULL!

LOL!

--
HTH,
Curt

Windows Support Center
www.aumha.org
Practically Nerded,...
http://dundats.mvps.org/Index.htm