3 step guide to backing up using Linux (user friendly)
This is the first time I ever write a tutorial of this kind so all feedback and corrections are welcome.
Before the tutorial begins I would like to point out one important matter that relates to most times when Linux is mentioned.
For some reason most people are reluctant to resort to using Linux cause it seem hard to understand and being an operating system made for more advanced computer users.
This is WRONG. There are a lot of "newbie friendly" versions of Linux out there... Knoppix which I have chosen to base this tutorial on is one of them.
When I first set my eyes upon Linux it was a terminal based Debian dist. Perhaps not the wisest choice of versions out there which I with time learned, Unfortunately the hard
way... But I tried out various versions and it all worked out in the end.
I'm not saying I'm an advanced Linux user but I get by, I use it a lot at work as well as on my personal computer.
Now, On to the tutorial.
In this tutorial we will make a backup from a computer with a corrupt file system.
Here's the scenario
Quote:
The system posts as normal and the loading bar of Windows XP appears as usuall. However when we're expecting to see the "Welcome screen" we're faced with a message
saying we're missing one or more files in C:\Windows\System32 folder.
Here's what you will need to make a backup using linux.
* A Knoppix CD or DvD
* A 2nd harddrive, External harddrive or a USB memory. This depends on how big the backup is gonna be.
The guide will continue in a step-by-step guide.
As well as a solution to possible errors that might follow the procedure.
Step One
Insert the CD or DvD in your optical drive.
Reboot your system and once you are asked to hit Enter to boot to the cd do so.
Possible Error
Quote:
If your harddrive has a higher boot priority than your optical drive your system will try to boot to your harddrive before booting to the cd.
The boot order can be changed by entering your bios.
Some systems also have a built in boot menu you can launch as soon as you see the bios splash screen (the image you see as soon as you boot your system).
If you have a boot menu option access it and chose to boot to the optical drive you have the CD/DvD in
On a successful boot to the CD/DvD you should have a screen looking like this.
Do not type anything as shown on the picture, just hit Enter key to proceed.
Now the boot may take a few minutes depending on the speed your optical drive can read a cd as well as the computer specs.
Step Two
Once we're inside you'll have a welcome screen pop up, Simply close it.
Now, If we look at the desktop you should see your harddrive on it.
If you have multiple harddrives and/or multiple partitions on your harddrive(s) they should all be visible.
Here's what my desktop looked like.
Notice how the partitions of my harddrives aren't labeled as C: and D: and so on as in Windows.
You will have to access the partitions/harddrives to make sure which one belongs to the damaged one.
Harddrives in Knoppix are labeled as hda or sda followed by a numer.
For example hda1 is usually your C: drive.
Here's an image explaining my different partitions/harddrives.
Step Three
In this tutorial I was thinking of backing up some of my images from my master drive's 2nd partition and back them up to my USB memory stick.
So to make things as less complicated as possible we only keep two windows open.
First window should be the harddrive/partition we wish to extract the images from and the USB memory stick we'll paste the images to.
And now we simply copy and paste.
Possible Error
Quote:
When a filesystem on a harddrive is damaged you might get an error when Knoppix tries to "mount" the harddrive/partition.
There's a command to fix this.
At the bottom of the screen you have an icon for a "Terminal"
Click it and you should have a terminal window pop up. It looks a bit like a command promt in Windows.
Type the following command: ntfsfix /dev/harddrive or partition name here/
Here's an example: ntfsfix /dev/hda1/
This will try to repair the NTFS filesystem on the harddrive.
In case this doesn't work, Try to mount the harddrive/partition by right clicking it on your dekstop and chose the option "mount".
If the error remains try use the ntfsfix command again. You can also try and toggle the read/write permissions also accessed through right clicking the desktop icon of the
harddrive/partition you are trying to access.
Once you are done backing up your data remove the USB Memory or External Harddrive depending on what you have used and plug it back in.
This is just to make sure that the data actually was copied and not lost due to some unforseen error.
Hope this tutorial will help you as much as it has helped me.
Last edited by Animenia : 04-09-2008 at 07:34 PM.
Reason: Updated the tutorial
Good day!
I'm still unable to recover my files on my old profile in documents and settings.
I tried running Knoppix 5.0.
I booted first from the CD ROM to run the Knoppix CD.
It will try to load the program but it has stopped running after showing 'Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init=option to kernel'.
I'm not able to do anything to my computer except to press on restart on my CPU.
What seems to be the problem?
Please help for me to run this software.
Thanks
Good day!
I'm still unable to recover my files on my old profile in documents and settings.
I tried running Knoppix 5.0.
I booted first from the CD ROM to run the Knoppix CD.
It will try to load the program but it has stopped running after showing 'Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init=option to kernel'.
I'm not able to do anything to my computer except to press on restart on my CPU.
What seems to be the problem?
Please help for me to run this software.
Thanks
I did a few searches on the problem and spoke to a few friends who knows a lot more about Linux than me.
I've never heard of this problem when you're booting to a CD, Only when booting to a harddrive.
I was given several reasons as for why this has happened and the one I think is the most likely cause is that you have a hardware component not supported by the drivers on the Knoppix cd causing the kernel to not load properly.
If you are trying to boot to Knoppix using a Desktop system try remove extensioncards such as NIC, Audiocard and so on... Make sure you only have the mouse, keyboard, power cord and monitor signal cable connected.
How could I disable those things?
Should I remove it physically out from the motherboard or it is something I just have to disable in the windows settings?
Is there another Linux cd that will be compatible for this?
How could I disable those things?
Should I remove it physically out from the motherboard or it is something I just have to disable in the windows settings?
Is there another Linux cd that will be compatible for this?
Yes you have to remove the cards directly from the motherboard (not if they are built in devices tho - wouldn't want to break your motherboard).
and yes, There are plenty of other dists to chose from, Feodora, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Open SUSE, Redhat... All of them are similar to each other and the guide should work pretty well with all of them.
So if you want to you can try another dist before trying to remove extension cards and peripherals.
3 step guide to backing up using Linux (user friendly) 
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