Backing up docs in their native form

[chssvl]

Hi!. I'm going abroad in a couple of months and I'll be selling my desktop PC. I have already made a copy of all my documents on the external HDD that I'll be taking with me. Nonetheless, I'd like to leave a copy of all my documents on DVD back home just in case something happens.

The last time I used a backup software was back in the days of DOS 6 so I'm not much aware of recent developments on that area. However, I do understand that most backup software copy files in a specific format, that is, I can't just take DVD #34 and see its contents on any PC, but I need all the DVD collection and the software that was used to backup my files in order to read them.

Now, I know that I could just use a burning software and burn the files manually but I'm afraid I'll leave something out (after all, there are thousands of files), I might not optimize the DVD use and, to be honest, it's a lot of work.

I'm not sure I explained myself clearly, but if I did, can anyone recommend something?

Thanks!

BTW. I don't need any system restore function or anything like that. I just need to back up my documents in their native form.

[Force Flow]

Just copy everything except the c:\windows directory

[chssvl]

The problem is that everything else occupies the same space as about 35 DVDs, therefore I would have to manually choose a specific set of files so they could fit into one DVD, then choose another set and so on. That might take a while and I risk leaving some things behind.

If there was just some app that would let me just chose the files I want to burn and then just ask me for one DVD after another and even, perhaps, leave a file with the information regarding what ended up where.

[glc]

Get another external hard drive and dump a complete image onto it.