Knoppix does not recognize sata drive on usb adapter

[klaus2008]

Since your HDD was part of a RAID array you could try out the program 'mdadm'. This program is intended to create a Linux software RAID array, but it should be possible to create a RAID 1 array using a single disk.

I would suggest that you boot off your Knoppix V6.7.1 CD and connect one of your RAID disks. The next step would be to open a terminal and to issue the following commands.

sudo fdisk -l
sudo blkid

The output of these commands should give you the device name of your RAID 1 HDD. In the following I suppose the device name /dev/sdc1. In the the terminal issue

sudo mdadm --assemble /dev/md0 --force /dev/sdc1

Afterwards open the PCMan filemanager and look whether there has appeared a new disk. Left clicking on its name should mount the new disk drive.

If you can see files or directories on your RAID disk but are not allowed to move to the folders you could try to open the current folder as root. PCMan filemanager has a menu entry to do so.

When you are ready to copy files connect your WD Passport USB drive and mount it using a second PCMan filemanager. You should then be able to copy files or directories via 'drag and drop' from one window of the filemanager to the other.

After your work is done you should close all open windows of the PCMan filemanager. Then issue

sudo umount /dev/md0
sudo mdadm --stop /dev/md0

in a terminal. These commands are intended to unmount your RAID disk and to stop the RAID array. Then you should disconnect your RAID disk.

If you want to disconnect your WD Passport USB drive you should unmount it before unplugging it in order to avoid filesystem issues.

I hope that helps.

[Tomsterq2]

Thank you for your reply and detailed instructions. It is appreciated.

The sudo fdisk -1 command identified the disk and its four partitions

/dev/sdb1
/dev/sdb2
/dev/sdb3
/dev/sdb4

sdb4 was the largest partion - which has the data.

So I used:

sudo mdadm --assemble /dev/md0 --force /dev/sdb4

This gave the response:
"mdadm: /dev/md0 has been started with drive 1 (out of 2)"

Going to file manager and My computer, one of the "documents" icons changed from "RAID-1 Array" to "496 GB RAID-1 Array 496 GB File System"

Left clicking produced a screen asking which application I wanted to use to open the file. Right clicking gave me a properties screen, again asking which application I wanted to use to open the file... it also said the total size of files was 0.

So we are getting closer...

Suggestions on next steps greatly appreciated.