CD/DVD operating system?

dfacto

So my boot HD bricked yesterday and I need a way to access the files on my other HDs without formatting and installing anything. There are partitions I need to manage and files I need to transfer on my remaining HDs before I can reinstall an operating system, but I don't know of any way to do this from a cd boot.

Any operating systems that are CD-based, and a bit more accesible than DOS out there? Is there software for partition management that runs from boot too?

Also, avoid the Seagate 7200 series, apparently those HDs are all insanely failure prone.

Xoliul

Ubuntu is really easy.

bearkub

Slax is usually my first choice: http://www.slax.org/ Nice, simple linux distro. Make sure you use the "Load to RAM" option from the menu screen and it will run without the CD in the drive and make no changes.

You can also use the latest build of Hiren's Boot CD: http://www.hiren.info/pages/bootcd which has all the tools listed on that page in one bootable disc that is super easy to use.

EDIT: Better dowload site for Hiren's: http://www.hirensbootcd.net/

thomasp

http://www.knoppix.org/ is another popular linux distro for this.

3DLee

You (and everyone else!) should grab one of these nifty hard drive docks:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817153066&cm_re=hard_drive_dock-_-17-153-066-_-Product

It's great for rescuing files from dead computers as well as backups. I use the eSATA connection to make image backups of my OS hard drive onto a 1TB hard drive I keep stored on the shelf.

DarthNater

It's been stated many times here but most versions of linux will run from a CD or DVD. If you have another computer, you will be able to install those HD's in them without reformatting them. Get yourself a USB HD Enclosure and throw them in and get your stuff off the drives.

Krypteia

Might try one of these as well - boot cd that makes a virtual Windows environment. Really if you get any kind of boot disk with a virtual environment you can just plug in an external hard drive and copy your files over.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ - Bart PE

http://www.ubcd4win.com/ - Ultimate Windows Boot Disk

There's instructions on how to build the cds and all on the sites (you'll use a Windows installation disc or you can try using the directory that has the files), but if you have any questions I'll try to help with researching the answers, etc. I've used UBCD before personally and I think we had Bart PE at the Student Help Desk at my college.

dfacto

Thanks guys, turns out the USB version of Slax saved my butt and let me burn an Ubuntu DVD so I can get things rolling properly again. For a first time with Linux I do have to say I'm quite happy with it, seeing as it pulled my bacon out of the fire. :P Seems to have trouble detecting one of my HDs, but it shows up so it shouldn't be a problem.

And thankfully my bricked HD is still under warranty and I'm not short $60. Apparently the 11 series Barracudas are terrible though, I went in to the store, said, "Barracuda" and the guy just said, "yeah series 11 I bet, they're all defective."

*facepalm*

PfhorRunner

dfacto wrote: »

Also, avoid the Seagate 7200 series, apparently those HDs are all insanely failure prone.

Not the entire 7200 series, because then you'd just be talking about the entirety of seagate. the 7200.11 specifically is super prone to failures, but we've moved on to better and greater things , it just sucks for anyone who bought a seagate drive in like the last year and a half.

Also, there's a firmware update that fixes a good 25% of them, so check it out, you might be able to salvage some stuff off of it.

Edit: Glad you were able to get everything worked out, for future reference Parted Magic ( http://partedmagic.com/ ) is supremely powerful.

neolith

PartedMagic: http://partedmagic.com/
Boots up a simple Linux with core features and programs including a pretty good partition editing software.

edit: Damn, PfhorRunner beat me to it. Must've somehow missed your edit, sorry.