New motherboard... How to backup files without Windows?

[Wouwousoft]

I recently bought a new motherboard and case and installed them both yesterday. I already knew that I needed to reinstall Windows again, but I forgot to backup my important files (wich are stupidly enough on my primary C partition).

Some said on the forums here you only need to 'repair' windows with the Windows DVD you got with the computer, but that didn't work at all. It would just pretend to start up like normally (with the loading bar) but in the end a Blue Screen of Death appears for a split second, and dissapears, wich forces me to shutdown manually.
First question: Did I do something wrong with the repairing?


Secondly, I came across my Bootable Knoppix CD and figured I should give it a try. I insterted the disk and and connected my External HDD. It starts up all fine, but the problem with Knoppix is, that you can't modify/copy any of the files on the partition, and so you can't with the Ex HDD if it isn't FAT32.
Second question: Is there a way to get this working on a NTSFS harddrive, or is there another (bootable) alternative to backup my files?
(also, I won't burn everything on DVD if there are other solutions :P)



Thanks in advance,
Wouwousoft

[AnnMarie]

Secondly, I came across my Bootable Knoppix CD and figured I should give it a try. I insterted the disk and and connected my External HDD. It starts up all fine, but the problem with Knoppix is, that you can't modify/copy any of the files on the partition, and so you can't with the Ex HDD if it isn't FAT32.

I am not quite sure what you are saying here Wouwousoft. I have copied files from a NTFS drive to a Flash drive using Knoppix 3.7.

[Wouwousoft]

Well, when I first tried, I connected my external HDD to the computer, and knoppix recognizes it just fine. But I can't modify/copy anything from my harddrive to the external HDD. Then I started googling wheter I did something wrong, but they said you can't modify anything if the drive(s) aren't FAT32.

Is that wrong then? Or AM I doing something wrong?

[AnnMarie]

I'm not a Linux wiz and I havent kept up with developments however as far as I know, you are correct. If the external drive that you are copying files to also has a NTFS file system, you will have problems. See here (http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/) for more help. If you want to know more about the Captive NTFS tool, I suggest you ask in our Linux forum.

Why not copy the files to a Flash Drive first like I did? It's really cheap to buy a 4Gb drive now.

[Wouwousoft]

Well, I think that is my final solution then.
I still have my 2GB usb drive here, and my dad's laptop next to it, so I'll just copy the files and place them on the external HDD everytime :)

Thanks for your help ;)

[AnnMarie]

You are welcome Wouwousoft and good luck. :)

[Wouwousoft]

And I came to the exact same problem again; I can't write ANYTHING from my HDD to my 2GB USB Drive. I set permissions from both stations to 'Can read & write' and I uncheck 'Read only', and still I get an error when I try to copy and paste things. This happens to folders and files.

I don't know what I did wrong now. I am using Knoppix 3.9

[AnnMarie]

I set permissions from both stations to 'Can read & write' and I uncheck 'Read only',

Hmmm, I have never changed any settings on either drive and I've never had any problem copying and pasting files. I think you need to ask our Linux experts Wouwousoft. Post a new topic in our Linux Forum and make sure that you post the error message, word for word.

[Wouwousoft]

I gave up on Knoppix, and I burned SLAX to a CD, wich is almost the same. With SLAX I can modify things on my HDD and I can put it on my USB drive, but not on the external HDD.
I decided to format my 5GB mp3 player and put all stuff on there, put it on the external drive via my dad's laptop and putting it back after Windows is installed again.

I'll post any updates here again (the thing is still formatting).

EDIT: I placed the most important files on my USB drive (MP3 player didn't work) and moved them to the external HDD on my dad's laptop.
I'm installing Windows now, and I shall call Microsoft monday for a new licence key :)



Thanks for you help ;)

[AnnMarie]

I'm glad that all is well now and you are very welcome Wouwousoft. :)