Transferring Data From One Computer To Another

[Darkwing]

I have been trying to boot into WindowsXP without any luck (I get a
black screen before I can get to the logo screen, and then the booting
stops). However, when I use the CD that came with the computer, I can
access the Recovery screen, and when I use the CHDIR command, I can see
many of my files.

I want to transfer these files to my other computer, which uses a
Windows98 OS. Even though I can't access my files in the XP computer (I
can't get the desktop screen), will I still be able to transfer data
from it? I know that the files are still there.

 

[R. McCarty]

Based on your conditions - Your best approach would be a Dos
Level image, burned to CD-R/DVD-R disks. It would provide 2
benefits. 1st - you've got your data "permanently" backed up. 2nd
most imaging software has a Explorer type of tool that allows you
to explorer/recover specific Files & Folders. This assumes the XP
instance is on an NTFS disk format. If the XP is on a FAT32 type
then the Windows 98 (2nd Edition?) could probably mount/access
the data. However, you've got to open the case, move the disk &
set jumpers - et all - A full Saturday morning job.

 

[Malke]

Based on your conditions - Your best approach would be a Dos
Level image, burned to CD-R/DVD-R disks. It would provide 2
benefits. 1st - you've got your data "permanently" backed up. 2nd
most imaging software has a Explorer type of tool that allows you
to explorer/recover specific Files & Folders. This assumes the XP
instance is on an NTFS disk format. If the XP is on a FAT32 type
then the Windows 98 (2nd Edition?) could probably mount/access
the data. However, you've got to open the case, move the disk &
set jumpers - et all - A full Saturday morning job.

Easier way:

1. If the sick computer has two cd drives, one of which is cd-rw, boot
the computer with Knoppix. Knoppix is a Linux distro that runs from cd.
Get the .iso at www.knoppix.net. You will need a) a fast Internet
connection from a working pc that has; b) a cd burner and c) a
third-party burning program like Nero or Roxio to make the bootable cd
from the .iso image. Then boot the sick pc with Knoppix. Linux will see
the XP files and you can burn the data with the burning program k3b.

2. If the sick computer and your Win98 box don't have two cd drives, you
can slave the XP hard drive in the Win98 box and use Knoppix to write
the XP data to the Win98 partition. Knoppix can write to FAT32
partitions without any problem. Writing to NTFS can cause data
corruption.

Or find a friend who can help, or take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a BestBuy or CompUSA type of store). If you
don't have a huge amount of data to rescue and you can tell them
exactly where/what it is, the job shouldn't be too expensive.

HTH,

Malke

 

[Darkwing]

R. McCarty wrote:




Easier way:

1. If the sick computer has two cd drives, one of which is cd-rw, boot
the computer with Knoppix. Knoppix is a Linux distro that runs from cd.
Get the .iso at www.knoppix.net. You will need a) a fast Internet
connection from a working pc that has; b) a cd burner and c) a
third-party burning program like Nero or Roxio to make the bootable cd
from the .iso image. Then boot the sick pc with Knoppix. Linux will see
the XP files and you can burn the data with the burning program k3b.

2. If the sick computer and your Win98 box don't have two cd drives, you
can slave the XP hard drive in the Win98 box and use Knoppix to write
the XP data to the Win98 partition. Knoppix can write to FAT32
partitions without any problem. Writing to NTFS can cause data
corruption.

Or find a friend who can help, or take the machine to a good local
computer repair shop (not a BestBuy or CompUSA type of store). If you
don't have a huge amount of data to rescue and you can tell them
exactly where/what it is, the job shouldn't be too expensive.

HTH,

Malke

Malke, Knoppix was exactly what I needed- thank you! I noticed that it
saves as a Knoppix project file. Can I view files burned from Knoppix on
Windows, or do I have to use Linux?

 

[Malke]

Malke, Knoppix was exactly what I needed- thank you! I noticed that it
saves as a Knoppix project file. Can I view files burned from Knoppix
on Windows, or do I have to use Linux?

I'm not sure what you mean by "saves as a Knoppix project file". Didn't
you just save the data by dragging the files into the k3b window? The
behavior of k3b isn't any different from Nero or Roxio in that way. You
didn't want to use a cd-rw or packet-writing; just plain old cd-r and
straight saving of the data files. If you burn a cd-r with k3b, reading
the cd-r isn't any different than reading a cd-r made with any other
burning program. I'm not sure what you did. Care to elaborate?

Malke

 

[Darkwing]

Darkwing wrote:




I'm not sure what you mean by "saves as a Knoppix project file". Didn't
you just save the data by dragging the files into the k3b window? The
behavior of k3b isn't any different from Nero or Roxio in that way. You
didn't want to use a cd-rw or packet-writing; just plain old cd-r and
straight saving of the data files. If you burn a cd-r with k3b, reading
the cd-r isn't any different than reading a cd-r made with any other
burning program. I'm not sure what you did. Care to elaborate?

Malke

What I did was save the entire C drive at one time. I dragged the Hard
Drive icon into the k3b window.

 

[Malke]

What I did was save the entire C drive at one time. I dragged the Hard
Drive icon into the k3b window.

Whoa. And then burned to DVD? I just opened up k3b and see that the new
"project" is called "k3b Data Project". Is that what you mean? That
isn't saving as "a Knoppix project file" as in a special format. That's
just the default name of the new data cd/dvd. It's like Nero's default
name of "My Disc". You get the opportunity to rename "My Disc" or "k3b
Data Project" in one of the later wizard steps if you want (and it
isn't necessary).

So I think that is what you meant and this means "don't worry about it".
Yes, you can read files burned in Knoppix on any x86 computer. It
doesn't matter that you used Linux and k3b to burn them. It only
matters that you have appropriate programs to *open* them on the target
system (i.e., you need a program that can read MS Word .doc's to open
them).

HTH,

Malke