Recovery help please

[Admiral Huddy]

Ok I’m getting in a right fuss here so need some help. I have a PC that is having some start up issues but contains some important data that needs to be backed up before I do anything really.

Before I attempt anything, I’m trying to copy the Documents folder to an external hard drive using Knoppix. However, every time I attempt to copy the folder it keeps coming back with “Unable to Make Folder” (this is after a few minutes of what appears to be copying. I’ve tried using a blanks memory stick and get the same folder. I’ve limited knowledge with this product so if anyone knows what I’m doing wrong or knows of an alternative method (or product) to copy the directory that would be great.

It’s really annoying that the Recovery Condole doesn’t support XCOPY

This leads me to my second problem.

In order to correct the start-up problem, I need to copy some files from the XP CD in to the Windows/System folder. However, it won’t let me for the same reason s above; no XCOPY supported and KNOPPIX comes back with same error as above.

If I try an individual file, it just comes back and says “Can not copy file”

Any help would be appreciated.

[Daz]

Sounds like the drives are mounted read only.

If you dont mind ditching the GUI, TRK (http://trinityhome.org/Home/index.php?wpid=1&front_id=12) has an option to start, bring up the network, and share all connected drives. Thinking about it though I'm not sure if they're shared read/write - so it may only be good for getting the data off, rather than changing those Windows files, but at least you'll be able to do it from a familiar environment.

Failing that, just grab the buntu live CD, that mounts NTFS read/write by default and is a pretty friendly environment.

[Admiral Huddy]

That makes sense.. I think the file system is FAT32 though.

Any adies why the copy in Recovery Console wouldn't have worked?

[Daz]

No idea. I've only ever used it for fixboot/fixmbr, for anything else the recovery console is just too inflexible.

[Admiral Huddy]

I used PE Builder in the end.. Did the job nicely :)

[Davey_Pitch]

Aye, PE Builder would have been my suggestion, I always keep a copy of that in work in case something like that happens :)