I format my hard disk and reinstall Windows XP and other software every 6 months or so or when my PC slows down out of installing and uninstalling software.

The next time I format, install Windows+upgrades and software, I want to make a backup/image of the hard disk which I'll use the next time instead or reinstalling
Is this recommended? If the answer is yes, can I do this with the backup program in Windows XP?

Yes that's fine. I used to do this all the time. It's much faster to just restore an image then doing a complete Windows install.

I think you will need a separate imaging program to do it. I don't think MS's backup utility does what you want.

i've never done that before - i dont even know how to restore lost files, but im sure that you can find a software that is a backup in XP

Yah.. the MS backup utility won't work for an image and it makes lousy backups too. GHOST is the best imaging software out there, by Norton, but I have no idea what the cost is these days. There are other programs out there that will do it.

I use Nero 6.0 for my CD/DVD burning, and it will backup my disk to an image -- for under $100.

Thanks LadynRed, I have just discovered that Nero 7 that I use for CD/DVD writing also does that.