"Data copying and such is one on my specialties"....Special agent BOND....Ferrit BOND.... :O)

If the computer you are working on is of important client/data, Then it must be fully backed up via some imaging software (I love acronis), On an hard drive or DVD-R, And this process by itself might take 1/2 an hour up to 2 hours. And in order to be able to do that, You need HD space and proper connection to it (Via network or Usb/FW).

Just bought a 500gb drive today, Just to be able to keep client's images for a week after I bring them their computer in case something have been forgotten to be restored....Most of the images won't fit a DVD-R cause of their size, So HD space seems the best solution