Help needed to mount a hard-drive

[Johnny Colson]

I am new to Linux and am trying to use the Knoppix CD to read slightly corrupted information on various windows hard-drives, and then save the files I need onto a memory stick, with a view to build a new more secure Linux system. I can set up, run and use the Knoppix CD fine. I am writing this message using Knoppix Linux. I can also see the 'shadow' image of the connected hard-drive on the desktop, but all attempts to 'mount' any of my hard-drives results in errors. If I double click on the image it seems an attempt to boot the drive fails, with the error 'Wrong file type and none specified'.

Even Linux users have not been able to explain a sucessful way to 'mount' a drive. It seems that other advice on this board relates to setting up a new boot drive with Linux installed, as opposed to simply reading files from a former windows system drive. Surely such a process must be undertaken by anyone who is transfering all their old windows work in to a new Linux system? Why is it so difficult to 'mount' a hard-drive? Am I trying to do the impossible?

Any advice would be very welcome. If necessary phone me on 01286 830312
JC

[wbatw]

assuming you are running knoppix 5.1.1, and reading from a windows ntfs filesystem:

mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/<whatever> /media/<something>

you may need to create /media/something
/dev/<whatever> should be in the "shadow" image on the desktop, otherwise look at the output of "fdisk -l"

a thought - are you trying to mount as root or as a normal user?