Paul Harris :
By backing up the whole PC I am sure I have all data and if the PC
fails I can quickly restore all applications and settings rather than
having to re-install and re-setup email etc.

Like you, I back up the whole PC (weekly, to tape). And I agree that
it's good to have *all* the data. But if I needed to do a complete
restore[1], I'd take the opportunity to install Windows and the
applications from scratch, selectively copying files and registry
branches from the backup. It would be different if the job was urgent,
as it is in many businesses.


[1] I've got tapes stretching back to 1994. I've never[2] needed to do a
complete restore, except as part of a planned hardware upgrade.

[2] Touch wood.

--
Mike Barnes