Ok Guys Is This Possible

Ok, I have a 5yr old desktop, which is really slow and has never had a reformat before. I would like to that soon, problem is, it has no DVD burner so I cannot keep all the files I would like to backup after the reformat.

Can I somehow use the my laptops DVD burner to act as a ghost drive on my desktop in which I can burn things to?

 

your post is a little confusing...

are you asking how to backup files after the reformat, cuz that won't work as a reformat will wipe your drive clean.

if you're asking how to backup prior to the reformat, there are many options such as backing up to another computer, an external HD, etc. depending on how much data you're talking about.

you can burn to your notebook's dvd burner over the LAN, but it will be slow.

you're best bet would be to copy the data onto your notebook's HD and then burn to DVD

 

i think what he is asking is, the files on the desktop are to big to be fit on normal cd's, and he asking if his laptop can be used to burn the dvd's of what is on the desktop, if that is the question

yes you can you could burn directly over lan but it is very slow, just us the lan to download the files to the laptop then when are done reformating just send them back...

it is slow, but it will work.
i don't know why you want to use ghost... i thought the idea was to get rid the stuff that you don't want on the hdd, just copy what you want, you should not need to ghost.

 

Well not ghost.

I just wanted to use my Laptops DVD burner as if it were my Desktops, without physically removing them.

Using them over the network.

 

i think you can but it would be difficult you must share the dvd drive

 

dammit, oh well, i guess ill just just a regular CD to salvage the important stuff only, wipe the rest.

 

you really should take the previous poster's advice and just send your stuff over lan to the laptop (which will be fast) and burn it from the laptop

it's just buring via lan that would be slow

 

Crossover Cable!!!! hook the computers up via crossover and transfer all important files to the laptop. Reformat/reinstall drivers, transfer everything back and you're good to go. No burning/etc. required! (only works if you have sufficient space on your lappy of course)

 

Crossover = win, especially if both machines have gig ethernet cards

 

just do the important stuff... you want to get rid of everthing that you don't need if you want to keep everything there is not point in reformating really

 

you can (or at least used to be able to) transfer from one system to another over LAN using Norton Ghost.