Hi Alan,

It's not clear how are you doing backup. Are you using SQL Server built-in backup or something else?
Anyway, the transaction log size is way to big. See mskb #272318 INF: Shrinking the Transaction Log in SQL Server 2000 with DBCC SHRINKFILE

>I have a SQL database (MSDE actually, but I don't think it makes any difference) which I need to backup daily, along with other files on a hard-drive which have changed that day.
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>Because of the size of the .mdf/.ldf files (combined size about 900Mb) the backup is taking far longer than I would like, so I am looking at ways of reducing the time of copying the files directly using drag-and-drop (eg. not zipping the files first).
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>I am working on a standalone laptop machine and the backup media is a 4.7G DVD-RW disk. I am using Nero's InCD, but I have also tried Roxio's DirectCD and the time is approximately the same.
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>The log (.ldf) file is about 8 times the size of the .mdf file. Do I really need to backup the logfile? Am I risking a lot if I don't back it up regularly? Does the .mdf always have to be in-sync with the .ldf file?
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>Are there any other ways of reducing backup time? Any ideas would be appreciated.