OT: Aaaaaarrrrrggghh.......

[Sivran]

I recommend the freeware version of SyncBack for all your important data backup needs. For creating a functional system back up, Acronis True Image is highly recommended at the DSLReports Software Forum. Also suggested there is freeware tool DriveImage XML which requires XP or Windows 2003.

[scJazz]

I'm partial to Norton Ghost if you can spring for the second external hard drive. If you can spring for the 2nd internal hard drive go RAID mirror and hope the case doesn't catch fire! I've recovered my system in 23 minutes using Ghost!