Desperate situation

[Robin Laing]

Anne Wilson wrote:
> My main workstation is awaiting its turn to move to FC4, and was running 
> Mandriva.  I now find that I cannot boot from the primary drive at all.  It 
> looks as though something desperate has happened to the MBR, where lilo 
> lived.
> 
> Checking my data backup, I find that I have missed a whole, vitally important, 
> directory.  I need to get that data to a safe place before trying anything in 
> the way of rescue.
> 
> I have got knoppix 3.2 up and can see the files.  I've got a pen-drive mounted 
> as root, but can't copy the files onto it.  Trying
> cp /mnt/hde7/anne/Gnucash/ /mnt/sde	gets
> cp: omitting directory /mnt/hde7/anne/Gnucash/
> 
> I tried to do it with a gui, but 'kdesu konqueror' says that it cannot connect 
> to the X server.
> 
> I'm now desperate.  How can I get those files onto my pen-drive?
> 
> Anne 
> 

Late response but here are some links that may help.

Data Recovery Myths
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/245

Hard drive recovery utilities: when you can't afford to lose that data
http://geeksaresexy.blogspot.com/2005/12/hard-drive-recovery-utilities-when-you.html

recoverdm - recover files/disks with damaged sectors
http://www.vanheusden.com/recoverdm/

HOWTO Recover Files from a Non-Bootable Windows PC using Ubuntu Live
http://jclark.org/weblog/Miscellany/Tech/ubrescue.html

Good luck.