Backing up files to laptop

Buggins

Hi everyone - sorry to be a nuisance but my instantcd back up is playing up - giving me corrupted files which I can't open. My situation is that I work from home and have just been made redundant. My "main" machine will be taken back and I am desperately trying to back up some of my personal files that are on it. I have a personal laptop and wonder if there is some incredibly cheap method that I can use to transfer things across?
Please help.
Thanks

albertross_2

usb key, CD, DVD, external HD caddy, bt digital vault

Buggins

Hi - can you be a little more explicit. I am a real luddite when it comes to these things. Can I back up to CD or whatever with just XP and if so, how? Any help gratefully received

albertross_2

how much data, in megabytes do you have to transfer?

if you have a blank CD-R, and a writer in the laptop, you can drag the files to the cd drive in explorer, and click write to disk

or

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayProduct.do?productId=CON-3291&s_cid=con_FURL_digitalvault

Buggins

Hi Albatross - thanks for this. I have about 480mbs (according to properties). I know it's not a lot but it is important. Also have a load of emails but can't do much about those although I guess I can save them to a folder and then save the folder along the same lines.
Thanks again

albertross_2

A Cd holds 650-700 Megabytes, so if you have one, it should fit, or you could upload to BT vault, and download again;

you could forward the mails to yourself

Buggins

Hi - I've tried dragging and dropping/copying to E drive or even D drive but it just keeps saying that " it isn't accessible" This is really doing my head in on top of all the other problems associated with debt and redundancy! Think I'll start again tomorrow or after the bank holiday.....
Thanks for your help - any other assistance gratefully received.

albertross_2

Is it a blank CD-R? or R/W and does the machine have a writer?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306524

Buggins

Hi - I think the machine has a writer ( it has two CD drives and a floppy disk drive) However it keeps saying that the "drive is not accessible". I've used a CD lens cleaner on both of them in case it was 'dusty' but no improvement. This is doing my head in and I'm going to bed. Will reassess in the morning if anyone can help during the twilight hours.
Many thanks for all your input

Donnie

It's possible that the XP CD writing capability is not turned on. I think that you can do so by 'right clicking' on the relevant drive letter and selecting Properties....
If you are the Administrator or at least have the password, you can install some CD/DVD writing software. Such as Nero. Here's a free fully functional 15 day Demo; http://www.nero.com/nero7/ena/nero7-demo.php

If you aren't the Administrator and don't have the password, you'll have to stick to the XP CD writing capability.

Buggins

Hi - Thanks to all for help. I've been to Tescos and bought a memory stick which makes document transfer very easy. Worth it for a tenner! Will now start to tackle the emails.
Donnie, if I download Nero can I save emails (AoL) via that system?