Need to backup my lappie hdd to a usb drive HELP!!

[Colbaker]

Hi, I need to do a complete backup of my lappie hard disk drive to an external usb hard disk drive so i can re-install the OS, I can't do this in windows as it is obviosly using some of the folders and files for windows, How can this be done, Would i need a third party software and if so what?

Thanks

 

[Colbaker]

I really need a full backup of the hard disk drive as i have proggys to make sure i do not miss anything off, The wife tends to put pictures and doc's all over the place and i don't really want to lose any of them so what i wanted to do was back the whole hard disk drive up then do a fresh installed, Then i was going to get the wife to go through the backup'd hard disk drive and get everything off she needs, What i really need to do is clone the hard disk drive to the external drive.