A new use for Linux

[Jacques B.]

On 7/19/07, Aaron Konstam <akonstam at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> My brother-in-law uses Windows XP and his system crashed making his
> Documents unavailable. He saw how expensive disk recovery could be when
> a local Linux user volunteered to recover the documents for him.
>
> Now here is a whole new use for Linux and there is money in it
> somewhere.

Certainly a great use for Linux.  Hardly new however.  I've been a
member of a Linux forensics list serv for a few years now.  I know of
a commercial Linux application for forensics/data recovery that runs
off a forensically sound Linux boot CD that has been around for over
15 years according to the author of the tool. Its primary world wide
user base are forensic practitionners.

My home system dual boots. I had to boot into FC a few years ago to do
some data recovery on my MS Windows partition/drive.  In absence of
dual boot I would have used a boot CD.  Also a great way to trouble
shoot other problems as well.  Boot into a Live CD and see if it works
from there.  If so you've determined that the issue is with the OS,
not your local hardware, nor with some hardware or software up the
line.  For example if your high speed Internet doesn't seem to work.
Boot a Linux live CD and see if it propoerly connects to the Internet.
 If so you've eliminated hardware as your problem and now know it's
most likely a configuration or driver issue.

You can also use a live CD with an up to date antivirus application to
scan your system and try and clean a virus that seems to be eluding
your AV on the box.  Likewise if travelling and using an unknown
system to access your email or online banking you can use a live Linux
CD so that you know the OS is clean and free from any
spyware/keyloggers.

Jacques B.