Getting files off a linux partition

[timmytheturtle]

Cervantes wrote:

Timmytheturtle: Don't give up on Ubuntu! If you want, make a thread and we'll try to help.

I gave up, I also snapped the CD in half, I'm pissed off cause now I can't get the hard drive I installed Ubuntu too (which also had all my personal files [seperate partition]) to boot, so I losted all my stuff (except my music. I burnt all that to DVD's a few weeks ago.)

Edit: Since some mod moved my post here, I must point out that the drive itself it damaged. If it is in the computer and I boot to XP it freezes XP during the boot, and when in linux it is unmountable

[Cervantes]

How did your ubuntu harddrive have all your personal files if you just installed it, without having a back-up of those files elsewhere?

In any case, I hope you haven't snapped your harddrive in two. Look what [url=http://www.google.ca/search?hs=Gom&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=%22ext3+to+fat*%22&btnG=Search&meta=]Google[/url] found as the first hit, which gives us a link to a driver that allows Windows NT based OS's to read the ext2 and ext3 filesystems.
Install Windows NT, 2000 (not ME!), or XP on a primary master, have your ubuntu harddrive as your primary slave, install the driver, and whoosh!

Mind you, I haven't tried this out yet, so I can't guarentee anything. There are other ways of doing it, I'm sure. Maybe the second google hit would be useful.

What was it that caused you to destroy ubuntu in the first place?

[timmytheturtle]

Cervantes. I guess u posted that last post before I made I edited my original post.
The drive it's self will not boot. I used the western digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics and it said the drive had errors.

The drive had personal files on it cause there were two partitons. A partition in case I wanted to install Linux and a partition for me. This drive was a slave drive.

I also realize that I have been having alot of computer problems the past few weeks. I think it's time for a new computer

[Cervantes]

Well, I guess if you're rich and have got money to blow, go ahead and boost the Canadian economy.
Personally, I would never buy a new computer just because I'm having software problems with my old one.

You say the drive will not boot, yet you then say you used this Data LifeGuard Diagnostics tool on it. I assume this means you cannot boot using that drive as the master, and that you had it connected as a slave when you used the diagnostics tool on it. If that is the case, why can't you clean it up while it is a slave and then switch it to being a master?

If you want to try to undo the damage, post some more details.

[timmytheturtle]

First off. The problems are not all software, Mainly the problems are due to the limitations like no AGP slot, and I need a better video card.

Second, I'm not rich and I don't have alot of money, I've seen computer's on fourms that were pretty good, and not that expensive (around 300).

I found the fact the Data LifeGuard Diagnostics tool could read the drive was werid, but I still couldn't access the drive in either linux or boot into windows with it active. I did switch it from slave to master to see if it would and no luck. I emailed Western Digital to see if they could shed some light.

Data LifeGuard Diagnostics can write zero's to the disk that might fix it, but I saving that for an absoulte last restort. I still wanna get my files back. mainly just the large things (like the videos).
But I also need to get that drive running since the drive with WinXP on it is only a 40GB, and I need more drive space

[Hikaru79]

Boot off of a Linux LiveCD like Knoppix. This will work even if your hard drive is crashed because it boots from a virtual RAM disk, not a hard drive. Then simply mount your partitions (this should work, 99% chance, unless you've somehow managed to cause damage to the actual filesystem, which is doubtful) and copy the files you want to save somewhere else (like a network drive, an external hard drive, a flash usb key, etc).

[Mazer]

While Linux LiveCDs are always fun and definitely worth a try, it may not work. I've experienced a situation in which having the drive connected (it was quite thoroughly dead, complete with "clunk" sound effects when you move it) the computer just wouldn't boot to the Ubuntu Live disc.

timmytheturtle, in the end my friend ended up giving me the computer for free. If you'd like to follow suit I can PM you with shipping details.

Back on topic though... There are ways of getting data from (working?) hard drives/partitions formatted as ext2/3. There's the ext2fs (sorry, no link from me) program that lets you look through the drive and find whatever file you want. And even better, there's Ext2 IFS which allows you to browse through your ext partition as though it were a native FAT32 or NTFS drive. The only problem I've had with that one is that Windows won't recognize it for sharing over the network.

[timmytheturtle]

@Hikaru79
I tried Knoppix earlier (it was one of the first things I did) and the drive was unmountable.

@Coutsos Even though 1 of my drives went down, doesn't mean the whole computer is down, I still got the drive that was WinXP on it, so no computer for you

I formated the drive with Data LifeGuard Diagnostics and reconnected the drive as Secondary Master and its now visible in windows. I'm still trying to get it to format into NTFS or FAT32 so I can start putting stuff on it again. I lost all my stuff though. Not that big of a deal (ok it kinda is, I lost 46GB [or a whole summers worth of dloading] of stuff) I just gotta start surfing the web to get my stuff back. Some may not be replacable, and some may have to wait till next month (I already blew my bandwidth cap for the month)

I still think that it's time for a new computer though (for me to use, not my whole family).