Backing up onto CDs or DVDs
With Microsoft Expression Media, you can create backups of your catalogs and put them on CDs or DVDs. The Backup/CD-ROM command (on the Make menu) enables you to prepare CDs and DVDs for burning backups by using the built-in disc-burning technology in Windows. You can also use backups to archive digital files onto disk partitions, removable disks (for example, Zip drives), or hard disks on a network.
Note
Windows XP does not include the built-in DVD burning features. To burn a DVD on Windows XP, you will need third-party DVD burning software.
Expression Media automatically scans your computer for available hard disks, partitions, and removable media, such as CD, DVDs, and Zip drives. You can click Backup/CD-ROM on the Make menu and look under Destination to see a list of available locations for backups.
You can use additional options in the Backup dialog box to back up All media files or Only visible media files in the catalog (for example, showing a catalog set in the active view). You can also select the option to Keep the folder structure for your original media, in addition to selecting the option to Include media catalog with your backup.
The Reset paths option resets the paths of items in the open catalog to the location of the media files that have been backed up. For example, if you backed up a group of files to a CD, the catalog would reset the paths of those items to the media on the CD.
To back up your media, make sure that you save your catalog, then select the options that you want, and click the Backup button.
Before burning backup files to a CD or DVD, you might also consider putting a copy of Microsoft Expression Media Reader on your removable media. Expression Media Reader is a royalty-free program that lets you distribute and share your Expression Media catalogs with no cost or restriction.
To include Expression Media Reader with your backup, copy it to your removable media before burning. Both the Macintosh version and the Windows version are available for download.
Alternative backup: transfer to folder
The Backup feature does not provide the option of selecting a particular folder for backup. To transfer a folder to a backup medium, use the Expression Media Transfer to Folder feature.
To use this feature, select a file, a group of files, or all the files in your catalog, and then click Transfer to Folder on the Action menu. The Transfer to Folder dialog box has three options for copying and moving files:
Move files Moves media files to a new folder, deleting the original files. Catalog items refer to the new files in the new folder.
Copy files Copies media files to a new folder, keeping the original files. Catalog items refer to the new files in the new folder.
Duplicate files Copies media files to a new folder. Catalog items and referenced files remain unchanged.