Crashed HD, Need Help Using Linux to Save Data

[AileenFaced]

Okay, so my laptop w/ Vista on it had the hard drive crash recently - but apparently it is not so bad that I can't use Linux to suck all the data onto an external hard drive. Now, I've never used Linux before in my entire life, nor do I plan on continuing to use it after this -- I just need to figure out how to actually get to my hard drive's files so I can put them on my external! I am confused and in dire need of help

I promise that I tried looking around for tutorials . . . but I honestly did not understand the terminology used in most of them. I'm only semi-computer literate =P

[jayd512]

Welcome to LinuxForums!

The simplest way to go about getting your data would be to get your hands on a LiveCD, such as Knoppix. Download the file, burn it as an image. Once you boot up with it, post back and we'll walk you through.

[devils casper]

Boot up from LiveCD of any Linux Distro. Open Terminal and execute this

sudo fdisk -l

or

su -
fdisk -l

Post output here.

* Its small L in fdisk -l.

[kewlharsh]

using a live cd by burining an ISO is certainly the best way to do it.
Just in case, you want an alternative, you might try using Slax. It is one of the linux distributions. You can download slax for free from this site -
Slax: your pocket operating system

And then just format a usb and put the contents of the download in the usb, then boot your computer from the usb. You can then attach an hard drive and transfer your contents.
Just a suggestion in my IMHO.

[AileenFaced]

Alrighty then, Knoppix is downloaded and burned. Now what's this about opening a terminal and executing a code? Is that pretty much like typing something into a command prompt? I need a really simple step-by-step, on account of my being a moron

Also, I know it's April Fool's day . . . please don't be mean.

[devils casper]

You have to execute command in Terminal and post output here. Execute command posted in Post #3.

[jayd512]

Alrighty then, Knoppix is downloaded and burned. Now what's this about opening a terminal and executing a code? Is that pretty much like typing something into a command prompt?

Exactly! The Terminal is just like the command prompt from Windows. Just type in the commands posted by Devils Casper, it will give you some output. Post the output here, and we'll guide you through the next steps.

[AileenFaced]

I used the first command "sudo fdisk -l"
Lawdy, lawdy there is a lot to write out . . .

"Disk /dev/sda: 12.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x7f41eb71

Device Boot - Start - End - Blocks - Id - System
/dev/sdal - 1 - 863 - 6928384 - 27 - unknown
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 * - 863 - 14594 - 110290392 - 7 - HPFS/NTFS"

I wasn't sure which part of that you'd need and which you wouldn't - so there's all of it! (there were more stats, but they were for my external HD which I had plugged in at the time)

P.S. I had to separate the categories w/ the hyphens because the forum kept running it all together and ruining my wonderful spacing job.
And . . .
No one told me that my computer would talk at me w/ Knoppix. I was delighted and a little freaked out

[jayd512]

Okay, open your terminal back up, type in

mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/windows -t ntfs -r

That should give you access to open up your Windows files to copy them over to a thumb drive or your external.

P.S.
I forgot about Knoppix talking. Kinda cool, though!

[AileenFaced]

Oh dear, whenever I type that in it says "mount: only root can do that"