On your question about backing up games there are quite a bit of well written tutorials in the FAQ section of this forum.. Read through those as well as you can and if you still have trouble ask again..
I guess you're using swap magic..
http://www.swapmagicfix.com/
That site has some pretty good info on how to use it.. The special boots and stuff..
Everyone on this board including me will advise you to invest in a mod chip.. If you plan on preserving your games by backing them up a decent mod chip will be your savior. Personally I moved from the swap magic discs to a mod chip in about a month.. Worth the money.