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    small os on a usb?

    Discussion in 'Windows OS and Software' started by smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009.

  1. smiley_666

    smiley_666 Notebook Enthusiast

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    ok, heres the deal; i cant get windows to load, and a technition from dell is coming tomorrow to replace my br/dvd drive (stuck dvd) and re-install windows.
    the guy on the phone said my memory would be wiped :mad: , so im looking at a small os to install on my usb and boot from that to transfer files to a portable hdd.
    i tried "damn small linux" but it says something about not being able to find a Knoppix file system :( .
    any one have anything that i can use that will be able to copy my files? i would prefer it be fairly small because iv only got slow internet where i am, but if it has to be larger then so be it.



    Thanks in advance,
    tom
     
    smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009
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  2. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    you have some windows installation disk? don't need to be a modern one, might be xp.. if you get to the recovery console, you might copy your data out from there..
     
    davepermen, Nov 23, 2009
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  3. smiley_666

    smiley_666 Notebook Enthusiast

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    cant, there is a dvd stuck in the drive, otherwise i would be doing it all myself.
     
    smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009
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  4. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    There should be several linux distributions that support booting from USB. Worst case scenario buy a copy of Acronis True Image Home 2010 online, it should work fine (as opposed to ATI Home 2009 which I blasted in my previous review).
     
    Greg, Nov 23, 2009
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  5. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    hmkay.. but you're on another machine right now? or on the phone? else, if you're on another machine, you could build a bootable usb stick out of a vista / win7 setup dvd that you have, and then use that...

    i have not much knowledge about bootable cds/usb sticks besides setup disks/sticks. but i remember to have used bartpe once. dunno if that's small, dunno if it is bootable from a usb stick (had it on disk) but something worth googling anyways.
     
    davepermen, Nov 23, 2009
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  6. smiley_666

    smiley_666 Notebook Enthusiast

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    ok, so ive got "damn small linux" working right now, but i have no idea how to access any files on the hdd. all i can access it seems is the files on my usb...
    does anyone know how to access files?
     
    smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009
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  7. davepermen

    davepermen Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    does dsl have ntfs drivers to read ntfs partitions?
     
    davepermen, Nov 23, 2009
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  8. smiley_666

    smiley_666 Notebook Enthusiast

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    i dont know, but its all fixed now... raid settings reset somehow and i didnt know. oops
     
    smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009
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  9. Greg

    Greg Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Well crap, that isn't something you mentioned earlier... :D.
     
    Greg, Nov 23, 2009
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  10. smiley_666

    smiley_666 Notebook Enthusiast

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    lol, yea, wouldv'e probly helped :eek: oops
     
    smiley_666, Nov 23, 2009
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  11. CharlesS

    CharlesS Notebook Guru

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    This may be a mute point..., but have tried manually to open the DVD tray by inserting a paper clip into the small hole on the front of the tray??
     
    CharlesS, Nov 26, 2009
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