Foxdragoon

First- I'm a total Linux newbie. I took the time to read a few pages of these forums, but I didn't find anything that I was sure would apply to this.My problem:

I have an XP OS installed on an HDD with all my files and programs. This HDD does NOT boot. I have a new HDD, with another XP OS installed. The new HDD is almost blank- just very basic files are in there. I am using KNOPPIX to try to copy my Documents and Settings, Program Files, etc (basically all my media) from my non-bootable old HDD to my new HDD. I want to copy everything I can besides the actual Windows files (cause it would probably copy the boot error). When I try to copy some of the files, for instance videos from my old user desktop to my new user desktp, using KNOPPIX- I get informed that I do not have permission to do so. I right-clicked the folders/files and changed the permissions (or at least tried), but then I was informed that I do not have permission to change the permissions. Basically I am being denied access to most of my files on my old HDD that I would like to copy to my new HDD.

I have heard that maybe a USB/IDE cable could help (I don't have one though). But, I would much rather try to copy the files using KNOPPIX. I have been trying to solve this for weeks- PLEASE help me ; ;.

P.S.- Sorry if this is a stupid question or if I missed a thread which answers it.

bigtomrodney

The problem you are having is that you are trying to read/write to an NTFS partition. Writing to NTFS is not really supported, and the systems that do it are unfortunately not stable. If you were writing to FAT32 you would be able to, NTFS is still tricky for the moment.

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Foxdragoon

KK so I can't WRITE to my internal drive. Does this mean that I could still READ from the old drive and WRITE the data to a FAT drive? Perhaps I could write the data to CDs or USB devices and then input the data from the CDs /usb flash drives while logged into my new Windows XP OS? I see that you [Bigtomrodney] said "If you were writing to FAT32 you would be able to..." but I just want to clarify- Can I read from my NTFS HDD and then write to a FAT drive (or a CD or some other medium) using KNOPPIX? Thanks for the quick response (I think I can FINALLY fix my computer).

bigtomrodney

I PM'd you back with most of the solution, just saw this here. If you need to write to FAT32 you should have no problems at all with Knoppix, but as I mentioned it may be a better idea to boot to your second XP OS and then copy your files in there. This would negate the need to reformat in FAT32.

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Foxdragoon

I read over your private message carefully. I decided to install the XP recovery program. I took the time to read up on some of the commands that I thought would be useful for my situation. I tried copying mydesktop in docs and settings from my old HDD to my new HDD like this:
First I logged into my windows installation (i have 2 installations so i m not sure which one i should log into while in the recovery console- old or new). Then I tried to copy my old desktop on the non-bootable C drive to my bootable D drive and place it into a folder named "Old0" which I had already created and left empty in my D:\.

copy C:\Documents and Settings\John Smith\Desktop [D:\old0]

That was the basic command line I was trying to use. C:\Documents and Settings\John Smith\Desktop was where my desktop on my old hdd was for my main user and [D:\old0] is the desitnation folder on my my working hdd that I am trying to copy it to. I normally got "The parameter is not valid" after typing in my command line. I'm not sure if this has something to do with the default Recovery Console rules (aka- AllowAllPaths = FALSE, AllowRemovableMedia = FALSE, AllowWildCards = FALSE, NoCopyPrompt = FALSE). I also read some information about "wildcards" but I honestly didn't entirely understand what those were or how to change them (or if they even had anything to do with me trying to copy from C: to D: ). I also typed:

copy /?

This prompted the Recovery Console to give me a little explanation of the copy command but that didn't really help me out much.

I also found another command that I thought could be useful
I tried:
fixmbr C
The actual command line might have been slightly different. What ever the exact command line was... it worked and it asked if I was SURE that I wanted to make a new master boot record. Well I was NOT sure if that would be smart. I don't know if that would fix the boot on C: or not. If it would fix the boot and and not harm my files, settings, docs, etc on C: then that would be great, however, I wasn't sure if it would make my files, settings, docs, etc on C:totally inaccessable or even delete those files.

Can someone explain how EXACTLY I can copy from C:\Documents and Settings\John Smith\Desktop to D:\old0 using the Recovery console? Also, would fixmbr C possibly fix my C boot or would it harm my files or make them innaccessible? I also realize that I am not really in "KNOPPIX" anymore since I am talking about the XP Recovery Console, but please help me ; ;

Foxdragoon

btw- I don't think I can copy the files from C: to D: while in Windows XP(i need to use the recovery console, instead), normally logged into my new HDD. It seems that XP home edition has some kind of safegaurd to protect user files and if I try to copy and paste the files from START > MY COMPUTER I get denied access to my old files. If I try to use the Documents and Settings Transfer Wizard I also get denied access to most (maybe all) files on my old HDD's user docs and settings. KNOPPIX was able to move certain files from my previous HDD'S user docs and settings but the vast majority of the files could not be accessed and I think ALL the program files and .docs denied access while in KNOPPIX (so most of the FEW shortcuts I managed to salvage using KNOPPIX don't actually work anyway). As has been previously stated, KNOPPIX probably cannot access these files because of the NTFS. However I think Windows XP Home Edition cannot simply copy and paste the files because of some kind of safegaurd put in place to "protect" the data of my old hdd's user docs and settings.

Foxdragoon

BUMP- Please help ; ;

xdebugx

first off you dont wanna use the recovery console to copy files from your user directories. the recovery console can only access the windows system directory. The easiest way to copy your files would be to do it in regular XP. You will still need to be an administrator to access the user directory c:\documents and settings\yourUserName\My documents is the directory your probably looking for. to log on as the administrator, when your computer starts up and comes to the screen to click which user to log on press ctrl+alt+del this will give you the option to log on as Administrator, the default password is blank. After you've logged on as admin you may still not have permission to access the file on a seperate hard drive that had xp installed on it. To get permission you will need to be logged on as administrator and then take ownership of the drive. To do this first

go >> windows explorer >> tools >> folder options >> view (tab) >> scroll down and uncheck "Use simple file sharing (recommended)

no right click on the folder or drive where your files are you can select "Sharing and security .." >> select the Security tab >> a pop up message says "You do not have permission to view or edit the current permission setting for work, but you can take ownership or change auditing settings", press OK >> now click the Advanced button >> select the Owner tab >> Under the 'Change Owner to:' box, select the new owner >> check 'Replace owner on subcontainer and objects' and click Apply. You should see a working windows that states 'changing ownership permissions'


then just copy and paste them to your drive with working xp on it.