![]() We copy the distribution CD to this partition, along with service packs, the Office CD (and any other programs the system uses), the driver CDs for installed hardware, and so on. ![]() With huge hard disks costing so little, we create a separate "distribution partition" on the hard disk for most Windows systems we build. If you've updated the operating system from the initial distribution version (that is, by applying a Windows Service Pack), also keep the Service Pack or update CD handy. ![]() For example, Windows prompts for the distribution disc to load drivers for a new device, and Linux distribution discs may contain hundreds of programs that weren't loaded during the initial installation. You need the OS distribution discs to replace a failed hard disk, but you may also need them for routine upgrades and maintenance. Lavalys sells versions with additional features, but for diagnosing and repairing a home PC, the trial version should get you by. ( $30, free trial available), shown in Figure 2-4. The best diagnostic utility we know of is Everest Home Edition, from Lavalys Consulting Group, Inc. When Windows is running, you might also want a general Windows-based diagnostic utility. For plenty of information on all that you can do with Knoppix, see Knoppix Hacks (O'Reilly, 2004). Oh, did we mention that Knoppix is free for the download? Knoppix is also available on CD for a nominal fee from online vendors like CheapBytes ( ) and many others. Search Google for "Knoppix recover" or "Knoppix rescue" and you'll find dozens of documents that explain the hardware analysis, testing, and data recovery features of Knoppix. Download a copy for yourself (now, before you need it) and play around with it. We don't have room here to detail all of the many capabilities of Knoppix. You don't need to learn Linux to use Knoppix. If the machine hadn't been connected to a network, we could have used K3b (a Linux CD/DVD burning application) to write the recovered files to a CD or DVD all of this simply by pointing and clicking, just like Windows. Knoppix even recognized the Windows network we were connected to, and allowed us to save the recovered files to a shared Windows volume on another machine on the network. ![]() ![]() Knoppix gave us read-only access to the Windows partition, and allowed us to browse it and copy the data files to a safe location. Windows refused to boot, and we didn't want to risk a reinstall before we salvaged the data on the drive. Figure 2-3, for example, shows Knoppix running on a system that had crapped out under Windows. Knoppix is priceless when you need to recover data from a corrupted or otherwise inaccessible hard drive that Windows won't touch. ![]()
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