NTBackup won't work

I run WinXP HomeSP2. I installed NTBackup according to the instructions here
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/setup/learnmore/bott_03july14.mspx
and proceeded to try to backup some files to a CD-R (not CD-RW).
I got to the step where I had to fill in where to Choose a Place for the backup and to name the file. I browsed to E:\ which is my burn drive for both CD's and DVD's and I entered Backup 11-09 as the name.
I clicked Next and was told that the backup file name could not be used and to be sure it was a valid path. I am not sure what is meant by "access ". (see attachment Backup2)
The impression is that the name is the problem, but I am not sure.
I tried several other names (some without any numbers, like just "Backup ") and kept getting the same message.
Can any one tell me what I was doing wrong with NTBackup?

P.S. I am the only user of the PC and have Adminstrator rights. (The matter of Administrator rights has never come up since I have been using the PC. I do not know if that is what the word "access" is about in the message.)

P.P.S. I finally gave up and just opened the E:\ drive and dragged and dropped the files I wanted to burn.

 

Is the CDR formatted for packet writing? I don't think XP's backup will backup to a CD writer unless you're using a packet writing program and the disk is properly formatted for it. Perhaps I'm off base here but this is the first thing that comes to mind.

 

PeteC--

Could you please elaborate? The folder and files I was trying to burn were already on the harddrive. You seem to say to first make a copy. I do not understand why making another copy of these folders and files on the same hard drive would allow them to be burned to a CD-R any easier than before.
I also do not have a clue whether the CD-R was formatted for packet writing, nor do I know how to go about doing such formatting. However I gather you are not so enthusiastic about that route anyway.
It is disappointing that the MS article makes no mention of any of this.

 

It was meant that you should place the backup file that NtBackup creates onto your HD somewhere. Then use your burner software to burn it to CD-R's. NT Backup can't do that directly and your burner software becomes the middleman.

For my money, I'd just use the burner software without any "help" from NtBackup. Actually I go ahead and image my disk but we don't need to pursue that issue.

Frankly, I don't trust any MS backup after having been left hanging when the OS changed and also I don't like the fact that it requires a healthy OS in order to access any backups. Ludicrous at best.

 

surferdude2--

I do not think I ever got to the point where NTBackup had created a backup file, before I got that message.
But as I said, I was able to skip NTBackup and just drag and drop (and burn) what I wanted into the E:\ drive using the software that came with the PC. The PC is a Dell and the software is some very basic version of Sonic.

(I just wanted to use the NTBackup to choose the files I needed to back up rather than having to figure out what a good back up would be. )

 

You would have if you had selected some destination other than an optical drive. That was the other point. It won't create anything if it has no valid (in it's opinion) destination.

 

I thought I understood you guys' suggestion, so this time I ran NTBackup choosing C:\ ( I also tried C:\Desktop and C:\Backup) as the place to backup. Seemed to go OK and I got a window saying words to the effect of "Backup settings are as follows--blah, blah. Click Finish to start backup ". I then clicked Finish and got an error window. When I clicked Report I was told
"Backup Status
Operation: Backup
Active backup destination: File
Media name: "Backup.bkf created 11/11/2004 at 6:23 PM "


Error returned while snapping the volume:Catastrophic failure
Aborting Backup.

----------------------

The operation did not successfully complete. "

Indeed the Backup.bkf file that had been created was only 2KB in size.
Just for the fun of it, I tried backing up to the floppy drive, even though I knew it would be to small to accept the backup. Same result.

 

I run XP Home, OEM version and didn't get the full MS install disk. Consequently, I don't have and can't get the Windows backup program. That used to upset me. From what I hear from you Jim, I think they did me a favor.

 

I found the solution!! I had disabled Volume Shadow Copy in Services. Set it to Manual, and was able to create the backup. Now I still have to see if I can burn it!! Will report.
surferdude2--Do you want me to email you NTBackup.exe??
P.S. I do not know what files you got with the OEM version. NTBackup is in the ValueAdd\MSFT\NTBackup directory on the full version disk.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&q=302894
Needless to say, but many thanks for trying to help. This was hardly obvious.
Do you know how to set all Services back to WinXP Home SP2 Default? (I had made some changes based on ElderGeeks article. It would be a hard slog to have read through it all again to manually set each item back to default.)

 

Jim, If you send me that file, I'll treat it like a virus! I made better arrangements than NtBackup long ago. Use True Image.

As for returning the Running Services to their default values, I know of no automatic way unless you happened to store them as a profile before changing them. Probably not or you wouldn't be asking. I tried tinkering with the Running Services once and decided it was too risky to insert some unknown into the process and thought it would be next to impossible for me to remember when I needed to turn something back on. Ended up leaving it as it was. Glad now. It becomes enough of a tangled web without my help.

Good detective work on your part to come up with your own solution. I'll have to write your name on the wall for emergency service when I fall down and can't get up.

Best regards.

 

surferdude2 --Well it was going to be your Christmas present, but if you do not want it....
Actually seems to work pretty well, after I learned here how to use it. Sadly, not at all obvious from what MS had provided.