Feather Linux for recovering files from XP - getting it running

I finally managed to recover several hundred files from a failed Windows XP computer by using ReadNTFS. I even used my digital camera to take screen shots of the directories, so I could recreate the long filenames in place of the truncated 8.3 filenames I got by using ReadNTFS to go through DOS. But, boy, do I dread doing *that*!

Then I saw here on MajorGeeks (I’m a newbie) some references to Knoppix and Mepis. I’ve spent the last couple of days reading up on those and related matters. I ended up downloading Feather Linux, from <http://featherlinux.berlios.de/download.htm>, with hopes of recovering those same files with the long filenames intact. However, I can’t get Feather Linux to boot on either of two computers.

On the failed computer, an HP PAVILION 7966 which has no hard drive in it at the moment, I get as far as the splash screen, then the cheatcode list, then (after booting using cheatcodes in several different combinations) the small penguin at the top left corner of the screen, but that just flashes by and then I get a blank screen. I have to hold down the Ctrl or Alt key to see the messages that say, “Welcome....Scanning for SCSI...” and eventually, something like “Can’t find Feather Linux filesystem, sorry. Loading a (very limited) shell,” with a list of about nine built-in commands.

On my DELL DIMENSION 4600, where I burned the CD and tried it out, I don’t get to Feather Linux in any way, shape, or form – just keep getting to Windows. I’ve tried changing the boot sequence, which is already set up to go to CD before HD. The only way I *don’t* get to Windows on the Dell is if I disable the HD entirely in the BIOS boot sequence. Then I just end up at a blank screen. (BTW, the Dell is critical to my recovery process because I moved the HD from the failed HP into it, replacing the original Dell HD, because the HP wouldn’t even boot from a floppy. This way I could use ReadNTFS and my external HD with the Dell to recover files. At the moment, though, I’m back to the original Dell HD, also with Windows XP, in the Dell.)

On both computers, I’ve also tried two different CDs. One I created using Sonic RecordNow!, which when I hit “Burn” simply copied the .ISO file to the CD. I also downloaded DeepBurner, which gives a specific option for burning an .ISO and turns it into a couple of folders and several files on the CD. In addition, I’ve tried adding the Feather Linux boot.img file to both CDs.

I’ve also tried checking the Feather Linux download using the MD5SUM files provided on the site. I had to search the Web for instructions on using MD5SUM files, but I didn’t get them to work. I also looked on the Feather Linux support forum, where several other people had questions similar to mine about creating the CD, but the person(s) who answered them could only say it’s “simple” and didn’t really answer the questions.

So I’m hoping you folks can help me out! Here are my questions:

(1) Am I correct that Knoppix (and therefore Feather Linux, which is built on Knoppix) will recover my NTFS files with long filenames intact?

(2) Which version of the CD do I want – should it contain a file that ends in .ISO, or should it have extracted out, during the burning process, into folders and files?

(3) Do I need the boot.img file? If so, does it go on the CD with the stuff from the .ISO file, or do I make it into a floppy? (It’s 1,440KB.)

(4) There’s an Autorun file on the extracted CD, and I saw a forum answer somewhere that said to insert the CD in the drive as soon as possible after booting. At what point can I do that so the computer (particularly the Dell) won’t just ignore it and proceed on to Windows?

(5) Is it normal to have to hold down Ctrl or Alt to see Linux boot messages?

(6) What would be the exact syntax for using an MD5SUM file to check a downloaded file?

(7) Anything else I should know?

Thanks so much for any help!

 

1) With the correct tools, you can salvage data from a hard drive using a LiveCD like Knoppix. However by default, I'm not sure the tools are there.

2) You want the ISO. You need to go into DeepBurner and burn as ISO. DO NOT copy it to the CD and burn it, that won't work. The ISO file is an image of the data on the CD itself, copying it to the CD will copy the file of the image, not the actual image. If you see what I mean

3) If you use the ISO file, no. You might be able to use a boot floppy to boot to CD, I'm not sure.

4) Really, you should have the CD in the drive before booting.

5) Not usually no.

6) It depends on the md5 program you're using. I would recomend FastSum. Simply type fastsum.exe C:/path/to/file.iso , and it will give you the MD5 hash. Pretty easy

7) My friend has had tremendous trouble booting Knoppix on his Dell and another "big box" machine. His hardware isn't compatible. Have youtried using other specific boot CD software to recover data?

 

Thanks for the quick reply, Goldfish.

Well, guess what. I created the Feather Linux CD again at 4X speed on the CD writer and now it boots on the Dell! (You might want to mention that to your friend.)

Unfortunately, I’m totally lost in that interface. I’ve never used Linux before, and I don’t see anything that I thought I’d be able to get at to help me.

Do you have any recommendations for other boot CD software (preferably freeware)? I downloaded Ultimate Boot CD and will try that; it seems to be Linux-based, too. There’s a version for Windows, but it requires the Windows CD, and I’m not sure if my OEM Windows CD will work with it (with Bart’s PE, that is).

Just FYI on the tools -- Tools in Feather Linux are supposed to include *mount.app* - “Dockapp for mounting and browsing devices, uses /etc/fstab”. But when I select mount.app from the menu, nothing happens. The browser help file indicates the hard drive is mounted, but I have no idea how to find the equivalent of Windows Explorer to copy files from there to my CD or external HD.

Also included are supposed to be:

parted - GNU Parted is a program that allows you to create, destroy, resize, move and copy hard disk partitions. This is useful for creating space for new operating systems, reorganising disk usage, and copying data to new hard disks

partimage - Partition Image is a Linux/UNIX partition imaging utility: it saves partitions comprised of the Ext2FS (the Linux standard), ReiserFS (a new journaled and powerful file system), NTFS (Windows NT File System) or FAT16/32 (DOS & Windows file systems) file system formats to an image file.

I was hoping to use parted to reformat the HP drive (since neither the HP nor the Dell Windows CDs will format it; I get a blue screen Stop message). And I was hoping to use partimage to do image backups once I have the HP and the Dell thoroughly set up again. I had tried Ghost on the HP before it crashed (which was after just three weeks of use), but it ran for an hour and then quit within 10% of completion. Also, I haven’t been able to find my Ghost CD recently; this recovery process has been going on sporadically for a full year, and CDs aren’t all I’m losing ;-) .

I have a lot more questions, but I’ll need to start a new thread (or threads) for them.