I have a number of clients (50+) that I need to backup, their full
computer, on a regular basis to DVD (or CD). I would like the backups
to be able to be restored using the standard Windows XP, NTBackup
program, as sometimes the files may need to be restored to another
computer, and I don't want to purchase 3rd party software for each of
the computers. I have an external USB HP DVD 630e burner that I would
be using to do this. I would need the backups to be able to span more
than one DVD (or CD).

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Request for Question Clarification by sublime1-ga on 03 Aug 2005 14:40 PDT

pctinkerer...

If you use Windows XP's native backup, your clients would also
need to have Windows XP. Though XP's backup 'might' be compatible
with Windows 2000, Windows 98, and, I believe, Windows ME use a 
different format.

Additionally, and sadly, Windows XP doesn't support spanning 
over multiple media. You would need to break up the backup
into discrete segments that would fit onto a single DVD.
Also, Windows XP's backup won't recognize a DVD that hasn't
been formatted with a third party packet-writing application.
It will see it as a write-protected media, otherwise.

This article on the Plextor site is informative:
http://www.plextor.com/english/support/faqs/SW00012.htm

A third-party program such as those made by Nero and Roxio
may be your best solution. See this page from San Francisco
State University's help desk site:
http://www.sfsu.edu/~helpdesk/backup/WinBackup.htm#Use%20A%20Backup%20Program

Let me know where this takes you...

sublime1-ga