Knoppix can be used as a rescue system, how?

It's said Knoppix can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system ,but how can Knoppix be used as a rescue system, to rescue what? I used to chat with a Linux nut who told me Knoppix could help me manage files on another OS (like WindowsXP )when the system crashes. So does it refer only to this or anything else?

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Originally Posted by MichaelYoung

It's said Knoppix can be used as a Linux demo, educational CD, rescue system ,but how can Knoppix be used as a rescue system, to rescue what? I used to chat with a Linux nut who told me Knoppix could help me manage files on another OS (like WindowsXP )when the system crashes. So does it refer only to this or anything else?

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"Rescuing" generally means that after your OS doesn't work anymore for whatever reason, and don't allow you to access your files (e.g. the OS refuses to start at all), you then need to "rescue" your files from the computer where they still are, but can't be accessed.

Here you can use Knoppix (or some other LiveCD) to start a working OS from the CD, and access the files which you can't access using your normal OS.

Ultimately you'd probably want to "rescue" your important files to some safe place using Knoppix, and then you could re-install your real OS. (e.g. if you have 2 CD-drives, you can put Knoppix in to one and use the other to burn the important files onto a CD.)

ps. You could think that your important files are held captive by an uncooperative OS. Then you need a brave Knoppix to rescue your important files from that uncooperative OS ;)