DVD-RW question!

I use an external HD for my desktop backups but use DVDs to back up my laptop. I've never used "RWs". Can you use RWs? Do you have to erase them some how first? I do full backups as opposed to incrementals. Thank You!

AFAIK, you have to erase every time you add new content.

IMO, a thumb drive/hard drive would work better than a CD/DVD for a backup.

You can use RW's (Re-Writable), but if it's a back-up you're not going to change or erase for any reason, they're quite a lot more expensive than DVD-R or +R "write-once" disks, so it's a waste of a re-writable disk really.

I would stick with -R or +R if I was you.

You could use them for backing up if you occasionally erase them and do a fresh back-up, but other than that, I wouldn't use them.

Just my two-penneth of course.

EDIT: You pipped me ishan, didn't see your post.

I wouldn't personally use DVD-RW for backups, they're far too easy to erase accidentally.