Getting Data off a Windows Partition

[Nocontact]

Knoppix is pretty cool. I'm using it to backup some data on a windows machine that's totally crapped out because I can't get it to boot and I need to save some stuff before a clean install.

Here's the question: There are 3 partitions on the Windows machine. In Knoppix, 3 drives show up and it's clear which is the boot drive.

Because there's gbs of data that needs to be backed up I'm moving it from the boot partition onto the other available partitions.

When I go to reinstall windows, I know it will recognize the partitions, but will the first one it shows be the c: drive for sure? What I'm saying is, can I be safe in knowing that if I choose the first partition it won't install on one of the ones I'm backing up to and delete all the files I'm trying to back up?

[sakiZ]

Go ahead. It's ok.

sakiZ

[Nocontact]

Is there a way to know which the C: partition is during the reinstall?

[rcook]

I have installed windows on a HD with an existing windows data partition and the install was to F: a new partition, but a deal breaker with some windows installs. It is possible to change the drive letter to C:, but a world of grief, much detail.

I have not done this recently with XP, so windows behavior may have changed, but I suspect not.

I would use Fdisk on Knoppix to change the tags on all windows partitions to something windows doesn't recognize until after the windows install, and then change the tags back using Knoppix and fdisk again.

rcook