A Linux live CD can save your data
May 22nd, 2008
You don’t have to convert to Linux full-time to need Linux. In fact, a Linux live CD is a great thing to have if you’re a Windows user. Here are a bunch of Windows and Mac users who thought they’d lost all their precious personal data (documents and photos) just because of a Windows or Mac crash.
If they’d had a Linux live CD, they could have saved all those precious memories and all that hard work. Honestly, even now it’s possible they still could. It breaks my heart to see these people thinking it’s all gone. This happened to a friend of mine, and she was about to cry, thinking all her years of photos were gone, and then I recovered them with a Ubuntu live CD.
These folks win my Linux live CD award…
08.12.04 – My own version of holiday hell:
I had that happen once, when Brianna was a baby, and we lost about 3 months worth of baby pictures. I still wonder what pictures were there that we won’t see ever again, what smiles are gone. And the videos! So please, invest in a back up hard drive, enroll in a service like Carbonite, but do yourself a huge favor and back up all your files!
08.10.23 – a brief Hiatus:
Our computer system crashed in our business and I am having to re-create every single transaction we’ve done since February. I’ve been eyeball deep in paperwork and still have a mountain to go.
08.10.21 – sigh:
my computer crashed and me being the genius that i am, i didnt backup anything
i lost all my shit
my music
my writing
arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
my bootleeg poetry
my fake short story
my music
my pictures
i said my music twice didnt i?
well im distraught
08.10.14 – Crashed:
My computer crashed! Serious stuff here people. I have been without it for 6 days now! [...] So until my computer is back up and running I will not be posting very much. i got a great guy (my brother-in-law) working on the problem. He has said to be prepared to loose everything!
08.10.11 – When it rains, it pours!:
Our computer crashed. As in, KA-BOOM. Everything is gone. Well, not anymore, because we’ll be able to pay the nice geeks at Best Buy to get everything off. But, it’s expensive and we also have to buy a new computer. We were also planning on buying Slade a laptop for schoolwork. It gets expensive.
08.10.09 – A Night at the Opera:
I have loved the Opera building here in Lille from the first time I saw it. It’s gorgeous. Since my computer crashed I can’t get my pics onto this new hard drive, so I can’t post pictures. Darn it…
08.10.08 – My kitty…. and Derricks too i suppose…:
So i don’t think that i have posted a picture of Hendrix here at all….. and infact my computer crashed last weekend i lost all but the one on my phone from when he was much littler….
08.10.08 – Fall shadows, copyrighted:
My computer crashed last week, I now will have to get used to a new system, I just hope i can recover the data from my old hard drive , my son is working on it.
08.10.05 – Apron Swap Sadness and a Crashed Computer:
my computer crashed again. This is the second time this year, and you would think I would have learned my lesson about backing up information after losing four years of work the last time it crashed. But alas, I apparently did not learn my lesson. I do keep almost everything on an external hard drive that I back up to our main home PC. Everything except MY RECIPES! ARGGGG!!!!!!!!!
08.10.03 – CRASH AND BURN:
Long story short: I fixed my computer, but I lost EVERYTHING. All my files, all my music, all my photos.
08.09.29 – Computer crash!:
My computer crashed last week!! All my photos I’ve taken with the new camera are gone!! All the documents, pictures and my favourite links, all gone… I’m so angry with myself for not taking backups more often.
08.09.22 – Computer Crash…offline:
mine has crashed, so I will be offline for a few days!…arhhh!I think I have lost alot of my latest photos and docs….moral here is to ‘BACKUP’
08.09.18 – forgetfulness:
Over the summer my computer crashed, and even though I had everything backed up on a flash drive, all my stuff was lost. I got a new hard drive, the computer guys said I could hire someone who could likely get everything off of my old, broken hard drive (albeit for a four-figure price, most likely), and I plugged in my flash drive to get my novel out. Lo and behold, it has crashed and deleted as well. If all my files are deleted, I think I’m quitting writing. Really. This book is too important to me, and this is not the first time I have had computer problems that have deleted my work. What kills me this time is that I was actually backing things up, and the backup failed as well.
08.09.14 – My computer crashed…:
my lapatop crashed, and all my translations were in that laptop… *grimaces*
08.09.13 – Computer woes:
My computer crashed Wednesday night. It’s presently in the hospital and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a full recovery! Thus, no image of the book.
08.09.13 – Crash:
Well, our computer crashed, and I haven’t been able to get my pictures off of it to upload to my blog
08.09.12 – Let There Be Light::
a week ago my computer crashed and I lost everything and am still trying to sort out all the bugs.
08.09.11 – The new place:
my computer crashed the night before we moved. Three computer guys, way too much money, and three weeks later it’s finally up and running. But I lost all my files. All my photographs. All my digital drawings. All of my music and videos and all my little notes and junk I’ve accumulated over the past 5 years.
08.08.29 – My computer crashed on the 15th (?) this month:
so I haven’t been able to write or reach the document at all. I finally have a computer again now, so I will do my best from now on. Though first of all, I will have to figure out how to install word 2007 in order to open my document.
08.08.28 – computer crashed (again):
MY LAPTOP CRASHED (again) AND I’VE LOST ALL MY DATA (again)
08.07.02 – Computer Crashed!:
Well our computer crashed yesterday to the point I could not even get into windows. I tried to do a system restore but no restore point was there. Tried repairing it and it failed eight times, so my last bet was to reformat the computer. Before doing so I had the option to backup the files on my external hard drive, and of coarse I did. So I thought. After getting everything reformated I went to my external hard drive to find nothing had transfered at all.
08.06.30 – Computer Crashed:
Our computer crashed recently, and we lost a lot of photos.I had some saved on disks, but some I didn’t.
08.06.11 – Know what sucks?:
My computer crashed.Thank god for starting brand new.
But I am sad that I lost some shit. Oh well
08.05.01 – May Day:
I’d post pictures of our fun but our computer crashed, completely and we lost EVERYTHING.
07.12.22 – The Geeks are No Freaks:
You see, my desk top computer crashed and with it all my files gone kaput (or until I find my recovery discs from the heaps of CDs scattered all over the apartment) — and with the meltdown goes thousands of my personal stuffs from pictures to writings to videos to music that dates back to about three years ago.
07.09.28 – My computer crashed -It’s all gone…:
husband tried everything, and it just kept locking up and programs would not work. So we had to do a full restore on the computer. It’s pretty bare now. All my pictures, digital programs, homeschool downloads (the kids are thrilled) and all my e-mail address – GONE!
07.07.12 – my computer crashed !!! =(:
Wow my computer totally crashed. I was just checking my email when all of a sudden it just like completely EXPLODED and I was like … just woah. So all of the documents and crap i had saved on that computer… which was like (no joke) about 500 documents are down the drane…
06.12.16 – So yesterday my computer crashed about 6 times in succession:
I lost my final paper for Science Fiction Writing among who knows what else, so you can imagine how pleased I am about that.
06.05.17 – My computer crashed.:
Which sucks. Because I have A LOT on my computer.
05.09.19 – So, my computer crashed:
and I lost:1 english paper
30ish hours of work
all my mail
fish stuff
pirated movies
family guy stuffplus a bunch more
this sucks
05.07.08 – welll my computer crashed for a day:
and then it got fixed and all my pictures are now gone. and im pissed but whateverrr.
05.02.20 – Well this sucks…:
our computer crashed and we lost all documents we had. I had most likely over 100 documents on this damn thing and its all gone..
04.11.29 – My computer crashed.:
So of course lost everything.
It’s sad, isn’t it? When the solution is so simple and completely cost-free and yet you think everything is lost? No Linux users who can help out these folks? Or non-Linux users who know these folks and just happen to have a broadband internet connection and a CD burner?
Further Reading
Recovering Windows files with a Ubuntu CD I: the backstory
Recovering Windows files with a Ubuntu CD II: getting your files
Recovering Windows files with a Ubuntu CD III: deleted files
January 28th, 2009 at 17:10
I saved all my data in my crashed hard drive with a Ubuntu disc ;-D.
April 24th, 2009 at 08:28
I used Knoppix to troubleshoot my cousin’s Windows PC. The technician said it was the HD. I found out it’s just the LAN card. Reseated it, bam! Working again :)
June 7th, 2009 at 18:12
Too sad. :( I have lost count of the number of people who have told me — after the fact — that their computer crashed, so they took it to the “repair shop”. They got the computer back fixed, but with their files gone. They could have accomplished that much themselves by just sticking in the Windows installation disk and turning the computer on!
It has become clear to me over the years that the people in these “repair shops” couldn’t care less about the data on the hard drive and simply charge a fat “repair fee” simply to reinstall Windows. Next!
June 8th, 2009 at 09:56
@Craig: Working in one of those “repair shops” we do care about people’s data because if we don’t keep that data safe, it’s very likely they wont come back. I can’t speak for other shops, but we call our customers before wiping and reloading Windows.
Btw, I saved one lady’s data by using an ubuntu live cd to get the data off a drive that Windows would not read.
June 28th, 2009 at 16:06
I also work in a repair shop. I have not tried a Ubuntu live cd yet, but I do use a program called Zero Assumption recovery. which will pull information of a drive as long as the physical part of the drive is still working. Paying some body to do what you cannot almost always is expensive because you are paying for their time and expertise. We charge buy the hour the same as a lot of other professions, but some people do not believe that the work we do is valuable enough. You can do without most of this problem by backing up your data.
July 8th, 2009 at 20:00
hollo fgrnds pls give links for live cd downloads or any other download links where i can get my data back. b.coz i lost my data .
September 19th, 2009 at 18:43
Jordan and Greg,
Sorry, didn’t intend to tar all computer repair shops with the same brush. Of course, there are plenty of conscientious outfits like yours out there. Working myself in the technical side of things where people just think you’re an overpaid geek that “plays” on his computer all day, I’m well aware of how undervalued our time and work can be.
That said, as in any industry there are always short-sighted people and companies who are happy to make the quick buck by charging less so that they get the customers who only care about price, and then those customers get what they paid for. Not realising that, they move onto the next cheap repair shop the next time, only to conclude that computers are a waste of time and the people who work on them are all crooks. Unfortunately, if these people knew what to look out for when choosing someone to repair their computers, they’d be half way to having a clue about how to do most things themselves, and so anyone walking into a shop with their computer probably already, unbeknownst to them, has a “sucker” sign stamped on their forehead. It’s the same in most repair businesses, whether it’s cars or toasters.
But, as I say, good for you guys for being conscientious.
Craig
November 22nd, 2009 at 19:46
I have already lost the count of how many friends and relatives data I had saved from Windoze crashes using nothing more than a mepis LiveCD.
January 10th, 2010 at 13:30
Hello there. I’m a newcomer to Linux. I got exposed to Ubuntu during a computer course I did. Being a long time Windows user I was a bit overwhelmed at the differences at first and annoyed that a lot of things had to be done via terminal but I have grown fond of it and I am now dual booted with Windows.
I can tell from this blog that you are a knowledgeable Ubuntu user. I have some questions I would like to ask. Is there an e-mail address I can reach you at or would here be more appropriate? Thank you for your time.
January 10th, 2010 at 13:46
I can tell from this blog that you are a knowledgeable Ubuntu user. I have some questions I would like to ask. Is there an e-mail address I can reach you at or would here be more appropriate? Thank you for your time.
I’m actually not that knowledgeable. Yes, I know more than absolute beginners, but I really can answer only basic questions, and I don’t have a fundamental understanding of the technical ways Ubuntu (or Linux in general) works.
If you have technical questions, you should post them on the Ubuntu Forums. I’m a regular member there, so I may help you out, but there are literally thousands of knowledgeable users there (most far more knowledgeable than I am) who are excited to help new users out.
January 10th, 2010 at 14:14
Ah OK I’m registered there. Is your name ubuntucat there as well?
February 3rd, 2010 at 15:24
Saved my sister her data after her pc went BSOD.
My younger brother (who is a MS fan boy, FYI) was really surprised when Linux could do that.
(although the transfer rate dropped on a folder with several GB of data for no apparent reason)
May 13th, 2010 at 18:57
I feel sorry for all the people who lost data. Essentially, PCs are an extension of our memories, like a part of our brain, and therefore a part of ourselves. When I was a pure Windows user I also never minded backing up, also, the concept of recovery was completely alien to me.
It takes a while for non-technical people to “grow up” in a digital sense and take responsibility for data stored outside the brain. This is especially difficult for people who shy away from dealing with abstract knowledge.
Luckily these days hard drives and other backup hardware is so cheap, personally I’ve never had to use the recovery abilities of Gnu/Linux, but I’m eager to find out what I’d have to do, so I’ll surely follow the links provided by the author of this site. I remember Ubuntucat/Psychocat from my early days of using Linux hand how his to the point info has helped me out many times.
December 1st, 2010 at 21:41
I got a nasty bug while streaming pirate live sports (I know, I know). I saved my pics, music, and docs with my friend’s Ubuntu live CD. Lost all my outlook emails, but that was a small price to pay.
After running the live CD for a month, I did an install (my Windows was probably never going to work again–couldn’t even run it in safe mode). Its a bit to get used to, but I feel much more secure and it feels good not to be a slave to MS.
Just got a new laptop and thinking about a dual boot so I can run iTunes.
December 2nd, 2010 at 01:30
Great to hear, Laura. I started by dual-booting for iTunes also.
February 20th, 2011 at 19:57
It did save my data once, when my whole pc decided to not boot up anymore. I don’t know what happened, but damn was I happy to have knoppix to save my data before reformatting the whole thing.
March 5th, 2011 at 05:28
How right you’re !
Of course a light Linux CD can save all your data.
Also, it can save you’re whole system – whatever MS or Linux.
Just make images of your disk’s partitions (one image for each partition, for example one of your system (C:/ ) anf another with your Data (D:/) (Highly recommanded to have them separated).
i was able to recover my MS system trought a backup image of my C:/ , using Macrium Reflect. The only thing is that I needed to remount temporairely a light MS system with Macrium Reflect on a second disk. I guess you could do the same with just a live CD system containing image softs like Partimage, Ping or other.
Loosing data is the worse, having to reinstall a whole system is not pleasure, think of it as long as it works…
See Ultimate Boot CD. Normally, imaging you’re system need it not to be active, that’s where boot CD are really usefull !
!! (Note that when I recovered my c:/, I just recovered my D:/ with all the data without doing anything more…) !! Sounds like having milk & butter at the same time…
July 7th, 2011 at 11:26
A Linux Live CD is the best option. However, for Windows XP users I would say this. If your system is completely down and you cannot even boot up, try to get an engineer running Windows 7 to do a disk check of the Windows XP drive. I have recovered many XP installations this way for users unlucky enough to need my help. My charge? as of July 2011, nothing. We all need help at some time, and what we give will one day come back to us. Mikey