Accessing windoze through Linux.RESOLVED,A FUNNY YARN OR TERMINAL EMBARASSMENT

[wavemaker]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Excellent, I am at the point where the partition has the green ENABLED button lit. Just so I don't stuff this now I have got this far, precisely what do I do next. James.

[JohanLingen]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Gooday Johan Lingen, I tried a number of things including rescue disk,ntldr tool and tried unplugging from mobo. Tried the jumper in all different positions and ran out of ideas. Know any thing special I could give a go Thanks, James.

That would be my first post, but I accidentally typed it in the wrong language:

Check whether there's no floppy in the floppy drive (you might also change the order of bootable devices in the CMOS setup and make sure that your hard disk is first boot device, if already so, we now for sure the hard disk with XP is the problem).

If no result, run the XP CD-ROM (first adjust the boot device order again with CD-rom first).

Choose "Repair" with key "R" and the Recovery Console with "C", then choose your installation and then you have a command prompt.
You can simply copy NTLDR from the CD-ROM to C: \
Code:

copy D:\I386\NTLDR C:\NTLDR

[JohanLingen]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Excellent, I am at the point where the partition has the green ENABLED button lit. Just so I don't stuff this now I have got this far, precisely what do I do next. James.

If you can open the partition and see your XP data, you may now copy it to a storage device (CD-rom writer, USB flash device, USB external hard disk, or maybe even put it online in Hotmail SkyDrive or so). As pointed out by Qmike, if it doesn't work, you might want to try to copy your XP data to the desktop first and then back it up.

[Telengard]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Generally speaking your best options at this point, in order of preference are:

1. Burn all important data to CD or DVD. Concentrate on the C:\Documents and Settings\USER NAME folder tree.

2. Copy all important data to another computer on the network, assuming you have network connectivity from Linux.

3. Plug in USB hard disk and use partimage or a similar tool to create complete backup images of all partitions and partition tables. Assumes you have access to a large USB hard disk.

You should do at least one of those three, but to be safe you'll want to do more than one of the three. I usually do options 1 and 3, that way I've got permanent backups on DVD, which is never a bad thing.

After all important data has been backed up, then you can tinker with the computer with almost no risk of permanent data loss.

Lastly, Johan's suggestions for fixing Windows seemed very sound based on my own experience repairing hosed systems.

[Qqmike]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

wavemaker. these are all excellent bis of advice.
On that of Telengard, I'd favor doing #1 asap, especially your personal data (documents, photos, movies, financial records, anything you need to keep). (Partimage is VERY good, assuming you already know how to use it, but don't get too sidetracked just now--I'm hearing you tell us that the personal data files are very important to save!)

When you said this:
"I am at the point where the partition has the green ENABLED button lit."
You are almost there.
Open Konqueror file manager in the Live CD, navigate to storage devices (or /media), then to the Windows partition, and open it. If it is NOT mounted (even though it should be mounted by now), right-click > Mount.

Then you'll see your Windows drive and navigate to your data.
Probably something like this:
Documents and Settings
Your name (or the name of the person who's data you wish to get).
The Desktop and/or MyDocuments (You could do Desktop, then use the Up arrow icon to get back to My Documents and click on My Documents and do that one).
When you see a file you want to save, copy it off onto your Kubuntu Live Desktop. To do so, you can drag-and-drop, or right click, Copy (then right-click on the Desktop and paste), or File > Copy, then click on the Desktop and right-click paste. Practice with one small file to get your method down pat.
Also, practice with a small file, copying it from Desktop (Kubuntu) to the flash drive.
To make the flash drive show up, you may have to use Disk & Filesystems again (just as you did before with the XP drive).
You may also copy to CD's (or do both--one copy to flash drive and one to CD).
=> Test the flash drive/CD to ensure your copied files are, in fact, there before proceeding further! EDIT added: Do this by copying the file to the flash drive, close the flash drive window, open the flash drive window, and see if your copied file is there.

(NOTE: CD/DVDs. If you use a re-writeable CD/DVD (re-usable), you can add to the CD/DVD. You can build data CD/DVDs using K3b in Kubuntu (K>Multimedia>K3b), and note the Further Actions > Continue Multisession project.)

My suggestion: do not use Kubuntu 8.10 for this. Use any previous version. I like 8.04 (rock solid stable, with a default classic Desktop environment).

[wavemaker]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Great, thanks heaps. Off to work now and will get on to it this arvo. Day off tomorrow should see it sorted. Thanks again blokes. James.

[wavemaker]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Thanks everyone for all the great tips and advice. I have been trying on and off since Friday to get something happening here all to no avail. I have now got a little dialogue box titled "Error-KDE Control" saying "the process for the file protocol unexpectedly died", whenever I try to go into administrator mode at the disks and file systems window. I am also trying other options like getting the windoze disc to boot direct. Just not having any luck. I got to having the partition mounted and then opening Konqueror and going to storage media there but it couldn't see anything on the disk. Oh well, it's a public holiday tomorrow (Oztraya Day) so I will have a bit of time to work on it then. Gotta say though, I would rather be playing golf or fishing. Maybe I should just take the disk into a shop and see if they can do some thing with it. But that smells like giving up, damn, don't know what to do. Maybe I should open a beer and think about it. That's it, that is what I will do. Thanks again, James.

[Qqmike]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Yes, puzzling.

"I got to having the partition mounted and then opening Konqueror and going to storage media there but it couldn't see anything on the disk."

What did it say? No files No folders?

Maybe opening Konqueror from Konsole might help (just to try something else):

kdesu konqueror

(or in 8.10 kdesudo, but I would not use 8.10 for this yet)


In the Live Kubuntu session, is
ntfs-g
installed?
(which lets you access/use Windows files)

In the Live session, maybe try installing it, or seeing if it is installed:

K > System > Adept

then type into the window ntfs-g

and see if it's installed, and if not, then right-click request Install, then (somewhere) click the Apply checkmark button to install it.
Then try accessing the Windows partition again, opening Konqueror as root
kdesu konqueror
and messing around.


That error is somewhat familiar and maybe someone knows how to "clear it up":
"Error-KDE Control" saying "the process for the file protocol unexpectedly died",

[kbunt]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Gooday all. I have a windoze box of my daughter's. It wont boot up , I'm getting the :NTLDR error and everything I have tried so far has failed to get it going. I read somewhere in my
efforts to fix this that I should run a live Linux disc and use that to retrieve my girls photos and music. Is this possible? and if so, how do I go about doing this? Thank you in advance, James.

Hello, here's my two cents, FWIW:
I agree with backing up the data before trying to repair XP which is what you would like to do anyway but backing up data is always a good idea to safeguard against these kinds of problems.

What about this CD?:
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?dis...n=systemrescue

I would try that first before the other steps but that's just me. I would have an external hard drive handy using a USB connection/interface and then format the external drive to NTFS. Then use the System Rescue CD to copy the data from your other drive to the external drive. System Rescue CD supports NTFS so it should 'detect' both drives, the XP drive and the new external drive. I don't see why that wouldn't work.

Perhaps, someone could comment on 'my plan.'

Yes, the OP would have to download and burn a copy of System Rescue CD but obviously, he has some access to the internet since he made a Knoppix and Kubuntu LiveCDs?

I guess you might need to know the CLI to copy files, though.

As an alternative, the Kubuntu LiveCD and maybe a SimplyMepis LiveCD can do the job using a GUI file manager.

[JohanLingen]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Very silently I think:
...And still... it wouldn't harm to just copy ntldr from the XP disc... it just won't affect your personal data in any way.
If it throws another error (if so, please post) you can still point out another way to rescue your files, using rescue CD's etc...

[wavemaker]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Gooday all. First things first. I would like to do as you suggest JohanLingan however it would appear that my daughters XP is not a Genuine copy.. When I put in my wifes XP cd it cannot find WGA and cannot go any further. When I use my old corporate copy I get to select R for repair and then I get a black screen with the option to type in commands or type "exit" to leave. If I type "help" it gives me a list of commands I can type in. I don't appear to have the option to type "C" and then choose my installation. So, can you advise me further as I believe yours would be the most desirable option.
I have a 16gig USB stick on hand to send the files to if I get the chance.
Further to Qqmike's suggestions, I did open Kongueror from console. I am using Kubuntu 7.04 as the machine is 4 or 5 years old and the newer versions just wont boot in it. On that occasion I went to storage media and then to the partition where I believe the files are but when I tried to view them it says no files or folders. I have only been able to get to that position once so have not been able to apply any further measures. I tried to get ntfs-g but it did not appear when I typed it in the adept box. As I type I am trying a newer Ubuntu based OS to see if that can help with my dilemma.
Lastly, thanks Kbunt, I will give your method a try during the week. I have permission from the minister for war and finance to purchase a 1T external hard drive to back up all the family's computers. We have 5 between us and loads of Photos/music/docs etc to keep safe.
Regards, James.

[Qqmike]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

The Knoppix CD might be the way to go -- it's known for being able to boot up on most machines and for accessing any hard drive on the system. Sounds like the "older" Kubuntu 7.04 is having trouble seeing the Windows, obviously. 8.04 should do it, though, and I *believe8 it has ntfs-g built in or in the repos.

As for XP, we've had posts here where folks found on the Internet the boot files you need, but I don't seem to have that handy. Maybe someone here does.

Don't give up; this IS solvable. Maybe the 8.04 will break it loose for you.

[wavemaker]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Hi Qqmike. I tried the Knoppix cd and it would not boot. I also tried a newer version of Kubuntu and it said something about needing a newer chip or some thing like that. Actually what it says is it detects a I1586 cpu but requires a 86-64 cpu. And after trying the Knoppix one again it still reaches the same section and then kernel panics.
Further to the Konqueror efforts, it is when in root or administrator mode that I get the problems and the warning about the suddenly dying process.
To the best of my knowledge there is no way I could have deleted the files on this HD so they must be there somewhere. James.

[Qqmike]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Hmmm, frustrating huh?
There is the System Rescue CD, lots of folks use that one, but it is in the same category as Knoppix.
And, I've seen people swear by Puppy Linux (just 50-100 MB) for rescue/repair work.
Finally, somewhere in this forum, someone has posted something about getting a Windows boot disk off the Internet or some such thing.

[Qqmike]

Re: Accessing windoze through Linux.

Another thought --
I wonder if Super Grub Disk (live CD) can fix the Windows NTLDR MBR? Seems I recall such.
Super Grub Disk,
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/