I just ran into a creative and useful way to backup a windows disk or partition. Recently, over the last 5 years or so, Linux distributions have been offering "live" distributions that install in RAM instead of installing on your harddrive. This allows you to try out a Linux distribution without affecting your computer in any way. These distributions do not have write access to your harddrive. But, they do have read access to your harddrive and can read windows partitions. That means that you can boot a "live" Linux distribution and than read and optionally backup (to CDRW, DVDRW, or USB drives) you Windows partitions.

This useful because, if your windows partition is corrupt or mangled by viruses, or whatever - you probably can't boot Windows. And, even if you can boot Windows, Windows will be altering that partition while you are trying to back it up. By using a "live" Linux distribution, you are using an OS that cannot change the drive you are trying to backup.

Most Linux distributions have GUI based file management and CD/DVD burners that most Windows users will find very familiar - usually just drag and drop.

So the next time you find Windows blue screening on startup, or just not running right - consider making a backup using a Linux "live" distribution. It might just save you a lot of grief.