Here is method 2 (alternative method) using only Knoppix and an external drive (doesn't matter whether it is formatted in NTFS or FAT32):


Method 2:

The goal is to use knoppix to transfer data from Windows C drive in my Dell Inspiron 2600 laptop because I cannot access Windows after Norton GoBack messed it up for me:

Eventually, with the help of a Debian expert , I learned to access and copy data from my laptop using the command line of Knoppix . I never get to find out the cheatcodes usable for my Dell Inspiron 2600. I am not prepared to spend any more time on finding the cheatcodes in order to access the graphical user interface of KDE in Knoppix.

Laptops are notorious for requiring cheatcodes. And I think this particular Dell model manufactured in 2002 is probably one of the more notorious and unyielding model , as far as Knoppix cheatcodes is concerned.

So this is what the Debian expert showed me:

Make sure there is enough space on the external drive to receive data from the laptop.

Hook up my external drive (and it does not matter if the drive is NTFS or FAT32 formatted, at least as far as Knoppix 5.0.1 is concerned) :
When Knoppix CD is powered up upon booting , I will see the boot: sign. Type the following cheatcodes to get into the command line interface:
knoppix xserver=XF86_SVGA noagp 2

Then after it has finished doing its things, I will see
root@tty1[/]#
At this point , type the following lines to start mounting the external drive and also the internal drive, whenever I see root@tty1[/]# , press ENTER key after every line :

root@tty1[/]#mount /dev/hda1 {mount internal drive in laptop}
root@tty1[/]#mount /dev/sda1 {mount external drive already hooked up to laptop}

root@tty1[/]#mkdir /mnt/sda1/Copied { Create a folder called Copied in my external drive to hold all the stuff from laptop }
root@tty1[/]#cd /mnt/hda1 {I don't remember what this is for. But it is part of the game.}
root@tty1[/]#cp -a * /mnt/sda1/Copied { To instruct to start copying everything from laptop to Copied folder. Watch the space between some of the characters.}

root@tty1[/]#umount /dev/sda1 { Once it is done copying , I will see the root@tty1[/]# again. Now I must dismount the external drive before unhooking it from the laptop. Very important, or I might lose data , even if not, I will not have access to external drive in Windows. }

root@tty1[/]#exit { and then I will see logout in the next line and it should be safe to close down the computer and unhook the external drive.}


To call up help directory , which is messy because it is full of command lines, type at root@tty1[/]# :
cp help

The size of the Copied folder on the external drive is surprisingly small, considering I have about 5 gigs of data (including operating system and data files from the laptop. So some operating system files definitely not copied to the external drive. I only hope all the data files are copied. }