Does anyone know how to backup program files?

I didnt know where else to post this… but I need to know how to backup program files on to an E: drive, which is an external harddrive in this case, so I can reformat my C: drive, but all of my CDs are in storage right now so I dont have easy access to them to reinstall programs, but I do have an operating system CD.

can I just drop the files in the program files folder after the drive is reformatted? do I need another program?

PLZ HELP!
thx

~psych

:mario: :luigi: :toad: :egg: :yoshi: :kir: :link: :pac:

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