What would Knoppix do in this situatiom...

I got a computer with a RAID-5 configuration installed on 3-IDE HDs. The OS on the drives is FreeBSD and the files are presented to Windows boxes across a network as a Samba share using CIFS. If I boot from a Knoppix CD on this computer, what would happen? Specifically, when in Knoppix, would I be able to see the data on the 3-drive RAID-5?

dec

I dunno. Is it HW raid with a raid controller? or is SW raid? If its HW raid then I figure you would have a chance since knoppix or more specifically the linux kernel should have a driver for the raid controller & then you should see it. If it is SW raid then you might be outta luck as I doubt linux handles SW raid the same a FreeBSD handles SW raid.
I hope someone else knows more about it than me.

Thanks for your quick reply.

Yes its a SW raid controller handled by FreeBSD. The main goal here is to retrieve that data on the RAID-5 that I cannot get to since FreeBSD started failing on its boot process (an improperly dismounted drive - this is an Iomega NAS product).

Do you think perhaps that a FreeBSIE boot CD may provide more luck for seeing the RAID-5 data?

Yeah definitily try FreeBSIE CD. Have you tried a freebsd mailing list or IRC channel? From what I hear, the FreeBSD-ers are all helpful & quite technically competant.
I wish you success.
James