My notebook with win2k crashed, hard. I can't boot windows, can't repair or
reinstall, setup says the drive is corrupt. There a few megs of data I would
love to retrieve off the HD if I can. I have found a ntfs boot disk with
read access, viewed the drive and everything I want seems to be there. The
problem lies in moving it to a good HD. I plan to get a 2.5" to 3.5" ide
adaptor, but have to order one as I can't find a local store that stocks
them. So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
booting the machine to try to get at this data? I think if I can get
read/write access I can fix the windows problem enough to boot, letting me
transfer my data off and reformat to see if the drive really is going. Or is
there a "lite"/mini linux that runs off CD I can run that might be able to
use the built in network card. I would like small because I would need to
download off dialup; but don't mind letting a download go all night, just
don't think I can pull off a 600M+ size. Also I know almost nothing of how
to run linux. I tried a version in like 98, 99 (can't remember the version)
and it's different than my dos knowledge, so I could use a simple version,
or one with quick learning curve, I'm not computer illerate, just been MS
bound for the software needs I have.

Thanks

Bryan

Bryan wrote:
> My notebook with win2k crashed, hard. I can't boot windows, can't repair or
> reinstall, setup says the drive is corrupt. There a few megs of data I would
> love to retrieve off the HD if I can. I have found a ntfs boot disk with
> read access, viewed the drive and everything I want seems to be there. The
> problem lies in moving it to a good HD. I plan to get a 2.5" to 3.5" ide
> adaptor, but have to order one as I can't find a local store that stocks
> them. So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
> booting the machine to try to get at this data? I think if I can get
> read/write access I can fix the windows problem enough to boot, letting me
> transfer my data off and reformat to see if the drive really is going. Or is
> there a "lite"/mini linux that runs off CD I can run that might be able to
> use the built in network card. I would like small because I would need to
> download off dialup; but don't mind letting a download go all night, just
> don't think I can pull off a 600M+ size. Also I know almost nothing of how
> to run linux. I tried a version in like 98, 99 (can't remember the version)
> and it's different than my dos knowledge, so I could use a simple version,
> or one with quick learning curve, I'm not computer illerate, just been MS
> bound for the software needs I have.

Take a look at knoppix, not sure if it supports ntfs.


//Aho

On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 20:56:09 +0100, J.O. Aho wrote:

> Bryan wrote:
>> My notebook with win2k crashed, hard. I can't boot windows, can't repair
>> or reinstall, setup says the drive is corrupt. There a few megs of data
>> I would love to retrieve off the HD if I can. I have found a ntfs boot
>> disk with read access, viewed the drive and everything I want seems to
>> be there. The problem lies in moving it to a good HD. I plan to get a
>> 2.5" to 3.5" ide adaptor, but have to order one as I can't find a local
>> store that stocks them. So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or
>> other method) of booting the machine to try to get at this data? I think
>> if I can get read/write access I can fix the windows problem enough to
>> boot, letting me transfer my data off and reformat to see if the drive
>> really is going. Or is there a "lite"/mini linux that runs off CD I can
>> run that might be able to use the built in network card. I would like
>> small because I would need to download off dialup; but don't mind
>> letting a download go all night, just don't think I can pull off a 600M+
>> size. Also I know almost nothing of how to run linux. I tried a version
>> in like 98, 99 (can't remember the version) and it's different than my
>> dos knowledge, so I could use a simple version, or one with quick
>> learning curve, I'm not computer illerate, just been MS bound for the
>> software needs I have.
>
> Take a look at knoppix, not sure if it supports ntfs.
>

Hmmz, any decent linux rescue cd ought to be able to get this data off
that disk. Problem is that in order to use them you need yr way around in
linux.

Have you tried to hook this disk up as a 2nd disk in a working windows
2000 or xp system to see if you can get to the data that way (that seems a
more familiar way for you to work I guess).

regards,

WIZ

On Thu, 4 Dec 2003 13:50:31 -0600, "Bryan" <starlink@gbronline.com> wrote:

> So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
> booting the machine to try to get at this data?

..... knoppix.net
..
--
/// Michael J. Tobler: motorcyclist, surfer, skydiver, \\\
\\\ and author: "Inside Linux", "C++ HowTo", "C++ Unleashed" ///
To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and,
whatever you hit, call it the target.

In news:bqo3hf$24qst2$2@ID-130698.news.uni-berlin.de,
J.O. Aho <user@example.net> rambled:

>
> Take a look at knoppix, not sure if it supports ntfs.
>

It does, I've used it to do exactly what the OP wants to do. It even let me
recover from my Promise RAID setup with Win2k NTFS on it.
--
Billy

"Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"
I think so, Brain, but I find scratching just makes it worse.

mjt <mjtobler@removethis_consultant.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 4 Dec 2003 13:50:31 -0600, "Bryan" <starlink@gbronline.com> wrote:
>
>> So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
>> booting the machine to try to get at this data?
>
>.... knoppix.net
>.
-snip

knoppix will do it.. but the OP said he only had a dialup
connection.... and knoppix is 550MB+ IIRC

try looking for a magazine with a *run off CD* version of linux..

keith

keith wrote:
> mjt <mjtobler@removethis_consultant.com> wrote:
>> "Bryan" <starlink@gbronline.com> wrote:

>>> So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
>>> booting the machine to try to get at this data?
>>
>>.... knoppix.net
>>.
> -snip
>
> knoppix will do it.. but the OP said he only had a dialup
> connection.... and knoppix is 550MB+ IIRC
>
> try looking for a magazine with a *run off CD* version of linux..

Tom's includes the NTFS drivers...

www.toms.net

.... and it only takes one floppy.

--
ZZzz |\ _,,,---,,_ Travis S. Casey <efindel@earthlink.net>
/,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ No one agrees with me. Not even me.
|,4- ) )-,_..;\ ( `'-'
'---''(_/--' `-'\_)

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 03:56:30 GMT, Travis Casey <efindel@earthlink.net> wrote:

> Tom's includes the NTFS drivers...

.... damb, that was my second argument )
..
--
/// Michael J. Tobler: motorcyclist, surfer, skydiver, \\\
\\\ and author: "Inside Linux", "C++ HowTo", "C++ Unleashed" ///
A diva who specializes in risqu'e arias is an off-coloratura soprano ...

Bryan wrote:

> My notebook with win2k crashed, hard. I can't boot windows, can't repair
> or reinstall, setup says the drive is corrupt. There a few megs of data I
> would love to retrieve off the HD if I can. I have found a ntfs boot disk
> with read access, viewed the drive and everything I want seems to be
> there. The problem lies in moving it to a good HD. I plan to get a 2.5" to

As already suggested, use knoppix to get your important data off of the hd.
You need net access from the laptop, or save it to some usb stick or the
necessary amount of floppies. Knoppix can detect most NICs or even some
(ac97) modems or better real modems, and connect you to your ISP or a LAN,
or it can write the retrieved data to usb media.

> 3.5" ide adaptor, but have to order one as I can't find a local store that
> stocks them. So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method)
> of booting the machine to try to get at this data? I think if I can get
> read/write access I can fix the windows problem enough to boot, letting me

Not adviseable after all. Current linux distributions can modify ntfs
partitions (not really "write", just change existing files) if you take the
guts and recompile your kernel to allow that. But the danger of trashing
your NTFS completely is far better.
What you would need is a tool like ERD Commander from Winternals, a XP style
"mini-XP" on live-cd, which can do things like that.
--
Longhorn error#4711: TCPA / NGSCB VIOLATION: Microsoft optical mouse
detected penguin patterns on mousepad. Partition scan in progress
to remove offending incompatible products. Reactivate your MS software
(3 days grace period). [LinuxCounter#295241]

On Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Bryan wrote:

> My notebook with win2k crashed, hard. I can't boot windows, can't repair or
> reinstall, setup says the drive is corrupt. There a few megs of data I would
> love to retrieve off the HD if I can. I have found a ntfs boot disk with
> read access, viewed the drive and everything I want seems to be there. The
> problem lies in moving it to a good HD. I plan to get a 2.5" to 3.5" ide
> adaptor, but have to order one as I can't find a local store that stocks
> them. So while I wait, can anyone suggest a linux (or other method) of
> booting the machine to try to get at this data? I think if I can get
> read/write access I can fix the windows problem enough to boot, letting me
> transfer my data off and reformat to see if the drive really is going. Or is
> there a "lite"/mini linux that runs off CD I can run that might be able to
> use the built in network card. I would like small because I would need to
> download off dialup; but don't mind letting a download go all night, just
> don't think I can pull off a 600M+ size. Also I know almost nothing of how
> to run linux. I tried a version in like 98, 99 (can't remember the version)
> and it's different than my dos knowledge, so I could use a simple version,
> or one with quick learning curve, I'm not computer illerate, just been MS
> bound for the software needs I have.
>
> Thanks
>
> Bryan

As others have suggested, you could try a linux distro such as
Knoppix/Suse Live etc.

However, there is a program out there that will run from a DOS prompt and
is small to download (it fits on a floppy).

Have a look at:

http://www.ntfs.com/products.htm

It's not that user-friendly or stable but, if you use it inconjunction
with a partition tool such as (this also fits on a floppy):

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/bootitng.html

or partition magic then you can create a small fat32 partition for your
rescued files. This way, you can save your individual files to the new
partition. Reinstalling windows to the original partition would give you
access to everything... Alternatively, you could also copy the files to a
floppy.

Naturally, this method is of no use if you (a) have no floppy drive or (b)
the hd is really screwed.

However, I successfully used this method to sort out a mate's laptop that
went the way of the dodo with some very important files on it.

HTH,

Dave