Once I make a backup using whatever tools my SuSE 10.0 system has, how would I use the backup?
Does it work like Window's system restore?

Using tar and gzip (or bzip) are two ways to implement backup, and backup means different things according to your needs. Your SUSE system must have at least these tools (tar and gzip or bzip). tar creates the backup archive, and gzip compresses the tar archive, but these are not the only tools available to you.

If you just want to protect your daily work -- including a large directory with a couple of databases in it -- then you can use tar and gzip. You can also build incremental backups with tar. You could also make incremental backups out of this. I tend not to; I just want all my work tar'ed up and put someplace where our CA ARCserve backup agent will get it and make sure it's put into the big backup.

If you want periodic images of your disk, because you want to re-image after a disk failure, then dd or various open source projects that are smarter than dd, are the way to go.

As to restoring, that's the inverse of backing up. I'd Google this subject. There is a lot of information that could keep you reading for a long time.

Or, if you want to learn as much as you can, get the O'Reilly book "Backup & Recovery" by W. Curtis Preston. It covers all the concepts and the open source tools, from simple one system archives to complex systems of networked servers and clients. The author also has a website with excerpts, wiki, discussions, etc. The discussions aren't as active as things are here (understatement), but the background information is there.

I am very new to Linux and was wondering what are the fundamental
differences between bzip and tar (if any)? Which one is best to use?
Is bzip more efficient than tar? Thanks in advance

I am very new to Linux and I was installed the os with the help of my friend after that here there is display and sound problem means some shading keepon coming whenever i starting to boot the os and sound is not coming to insert the diskette. Is there any setup's available for rectify it? Help me.....Advanced thanks.....