Need Help Using Knoppix to Recover Data From Crashed Windows Computer

[krishna.murphy]

I am not sure what the terminal window is, I changed the boot on my computer so that when I turn it on Knoppix starts up-shows the Knoppix desktop, then loads to a black page with a number list...I wasn't sure if I was to select one of them to get the desktop icons. Am I to sectect one of these and then use the command code, I am not sure, thanks so much for your help.

No wonder it's confusing! This is almost certainly the Adrianne text-reader for visually-impaired folks (like Klaus Knopper's wife Adrianne.) I find it annoying, since I don't need it. To use the disk you have with a true GUI desktop, just type in at the boot prompt (big penguin onscreen before all the numbers show up):

knoppix

That will override the default on the version you have, to use the GUI instead.

As to the terminal, that means you get a command-line-interface, which is all that we who messed with computers before GUIs came along had to work with. It's where you type a command, and whatever you tell it to do, it does (even if you mistype!) But, you can re-read what you type, back up and fix it before hitting Enter, etc. You can start it from the bottom of the GUI (once you have that up!) by clicking the icon that "sort of" looks like a black-and-white TV. The file-folder icon is right there, too, in case you want to see what the file manager can do (or, you can type in the terminal, pcmanfm).

Cheers!
Krishna

[Capricorny]

I am not sure what the terminal window is, I changed the boot on my computer so that when I turn it on Knoppix starts up-shows the Knoppix desktop, then loads to a black page with a number list...I wasn't sure if I was to select one of them to get the desktop icons. Am I to sectect one of these and then use the command code, I am not sure, thanks so much for your help.

It seems that you have got the German version of Adriane downloaded, not the English Knoppix we have as "default" here. Still, for your purpose, you can do what you need with that, I think. At boot, you get a Knoppix prompt for some seconds - there you can type Knoppix, to get the graphical version (Adriane is for visually impaired people) But you have to be quisk at starting typing. I don't think you have seen the ordinary graphics desktop at all - that resembles Windows a bit, with a main menu icon to the left on the bottom status line, and then PCman and Terminal icons, which we have talked about, following.

Edit: Didn't see that krishna.m had already answered!

[krishna.murphy]

It seems that you have got the German version of Adriane downloaded, not the English Knoppix we have as "default" here. Still, for your purpose, you can do what you need with that, I think. At boot, you get a Knoppix prompt for some seconds - there you can type Knoppix, to get the graphical version (Adriane is for visually impaired people) But you have to be quisk at starting typing. I don't think you have seen the ordinary graphics desktop at all - that resembles Windows a bit, with a main menu icon to the left on the bottom status line, and then PCman and Terminal icons, which we have talked about, following.

Edit: Didn't see that krishna.m had already answered!

I missed the part about German; you'll need to use the following at boot to switch to English:

knoppix lang=us

I'm not sure if that takes care of the keyboard difference as well - you may need

 xkeyboard=us

at the end of the knoppix line - see the documentation.

Cheers!
Krishna

[Tattered Phoenix]

Thanks Krishna andCapricorny for the help, I have just made a new cd with the english version of Knoppix- KNOPPIX-ADRIANE_V6.2CD-2009-11-18-EN.iso, when I downloaded it the first time there was a whole bunch of downloads to choose from and I wasn't sure what one to choose, I have yet to try and use it, I am afraid of messing up my computer more than it already is but typing something wrong.
Also I have another question, I bought one of those external hard drives that backs up computers, but windows vista isn't working on my computer I can not log in and tell it to starting backing files up, is there any way I could use either knoppix, or the Adriane to program to tell my computer to copy files to the external hard drive with out major writing to the hard drive?
Thanks so much for all of your help.

[krishna.murphy]

If you are now able to boot to the GUI desktop, you should be able to access the external drive with no trouble. Getting to the data on the Windows drive can be a little more trouble, since Windows could have messed up the filesystem on that internal drive. I suggest booting the CD, starting the file manager, and then clicking the drive icon for the internal drive.

If you see the folders for the Windows partition, go ahead and plug in the new drive, click its' icon when it shows up, and then proceed to drag-and-drop some useful files to the new drive. Once you've backed up the goodies (My Documents, email, etc.) you can then try your hand at repairing the broken Windows stuff. If it's too big a job, I'd say at that point that it's time to use a (blow the data away) Windows "rescue" disk or boot-option.

Cheers!
Krishna

[Tattered Phoenix]

I am using the new CD right now, its in English this time, I forgot to type Knoppix when it was first loading up, so its on the Adriane program. I was wondering if I could just use this program to get at files since its a program for the blind it seems to be a way of your computer without windows...it has a list of things, one is file manager...just wondering if not, I will have to reboot and try again, thanks for your help.

[krishna.murphy]

I am using the new CD right now, its in English this time, I forgot to type Knoppix when it was first loading up, so its on the Adriane program. I was wondering if I could just use this program to get at files since its a program for the blind it seems to be a way of your computer without windows...it has a list of things, one is file manager...just wondering if not, I will have to reboot and try again, thanks for your help.

Sure. You can also download one that defaults to the GUI. The command knoppix is only needed when it's an Adrianne version that defaults to that interface instead.

Cheers!
Krishna

[Tattered Phoenix]

I got into Knoppix, now I'm not so sure what to do next.......I am not sure what icons are the hard drive icons. It loaded to a desktop with mountains and clouds..and has one icon on it that reads my documents, thats the only icon on the desktop, then there is a tool bar at the bottom that has some icons on it..not sure what there are all for...I can see one is for volume, and one for open office, what should I do next?



And also, no that I'm in Knoppix, is there a way to tell my computer to start backing up files on my to an external hard drive?

[krishna.murphy]

I got into Knoppix, now I'm not so sure what to do next.......I am not sure what icons are the hard drive icons. It loaded to a desktop with mountains and clouds..and has one icon on it that reads my documents, thats the only icon on the desktop, then there is a tool bar at the bottom that has some icons on it..not sure what there are all for...I can see one is for volume, and one for open office, what should I do next?

Okay, boot up with the external drive disconnected (or pull the plug if it's already hooked up) and look to the left side of the toolbar for the file folder icon - that starts the file manager, which is similar to Windows Explorer.

And also, no that I'm in Knoppix, is there a way to tell my computer to start backing up files on my to an external hard drive?

Now, click the icon in the file manager for your internal drive and then navigate to the stuff you want to back up, i.e. My Documents. Right-click what you want to transfer and choose Copy. Next, plug in the external drive and the icon for it will appear on the left side; click it and then right-click where you want to save it, choosing Paste to start the file transfer.

Cheers!
Krishna

[Tattered Phoenix]

hi,
I opened up the pc file manager with no problem, and I can see the hard drive icon, but it won't let me open/access it, I get this message when I try:
Unable to mount error<i>org.freedesktop.Hal.Device.Volume.unknown failure</
I am not sure what to do here to access my hard drive. Thanks so much for all your help.