Severe problem while using Windows Backup

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Guest

Yesterday I tried using Windows backup for the 1st time. I first tried
backing up to a DVD+RW but the program kept giving me the error that the DVD
couldn't be used. I erased the disk and continued to get an error. I tried
several times, and at one point the backup started. I was surprised and
stopped it, because I didn't think the DVD had been formatted. I then
discovered that my entire Data drive had been erased/formatted. (Luckily I
had a one week old backup.) However, I don't want this to happen again, as
even losing a week's worth of data can be a problem. I may have accidentally
selected the data hard drive partition rather than the DVD drive to back up
to (that is the only thing I can think of that might have caused this), but
my question is, must the entire backup drive be empty? Can I backup to a
hard drive partition that has other files on it or must I select an empty
partition? Does Windows Backup automatically format or erase the drive that
it is using if there is data there? I don't remember getting any warnings,
but might have since I thought I was trying to backup to the DVD+RW. Also,
will Windows Backup backup data files that are a partition other than C? I
have changed most of my data locations to the separate Data partition. I
expected the backup to mainly back up my Data drive, since I have virually no
data files on C, but the backup that started was backing up my C drive.
 
Thank you. I also looked at the article on the Vista backup program and it
mentioned that when selecting writable media, you must use a disk that can be
written and rewritten. I tried to use DVD+RW disks, but they could not be
formatted. Will the program normally format DVD+RW disks to be used for
backup? I am trying to determine if my DVD drive (on a fairly new computer)
is working correctly. It does not seem to be able to format any DVD disks
that have been erased once...or the drive is somehow destroying the disks
when it erases them. Any thoughts?
 
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