Running knoppix on vaio laptop can't copy files to removable

[tbrendel]

I'm using knoppix ona Sony vaio and it won't let me copy and files or create
any folders on my thumb drive, usb drive or on the internal hard drive. It lets me
open the files but it doesnt lety me copy them or anything. Im trying to fix my sisters laptop and i need to back up the files
using knoppix but i cant copy them. I just get an error message for each file. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Harry Kuhman]

There seem to be some people who are having more than the normal problems with version 5.0.1, so this may or may not help you, but start with answer #6.

[sgild]

I am attempting to back up my lap top's hard drive (either it or my OS has crashed).
I have an external, USB hard drive, which Knoppix detects, and I am able to alter its priveledges. However, there is no icon on the Knoppix destop, besides my external drive, that would indicate the hard drive of the lap top has been detected. Does this mean that my hard drive is beyond recovery? Is there any way I can mount my internal hard drive, or force Knoppix to detect it?

I should mention that my Vaio gives me a warning that a hard drive failure is imminent.
I am using knoppix 5.0

Any helpful comments would be appreciated