You may want to explore conventional HD recovery options as opposed to using a OS & programs that are unfamiliar to you. Knoppix is great for dying systems but working HDs. I lost a HD three weeks ago that would not even be detected by any system's BIOS. It wouls actually halt the system from completeing the BIOS tesing. At that point I gave up.

How critical is it to you? Use google & read about recovery methods you can do at home. Some odd ones include sealing the drive in an anti-static bag & then freezing it in a freezer. Those who have done it claim to have gotten the drive to work long enough to get the data off. I tried it with my dead drive & it didn't hurt or help.