what is the best rescue disk

What exactly do you want to rescue, files or a malfunctioning Linux installation?

Photorec is probably the best for rescuing accidentally-deleted files or files from a dodgy hard drive.

For repairing a botched or malfunctioning install, pretty much any LiveCD can be used, though your distro install disk, if it has a live mode, is usually a good choice. And then there's Knoppix.

I used to recommend Trinity Rescue Kit for Windows, but it doesn't work well with UEFI and its maintainer has had trouble finding time to update it. However, according to the website, he has a new beta as of last fall.

While I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "what is the best rescue disk?", the systemrescuecd might be of use to you; see: https://www.system-rescue-cd.org/

There is also the UBCD, here: www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

If your talking about GRUB, see: www.supergrubdisk.org/

http://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd ? I like how it posts with 1click

p.s. Welcome waelsultan. Maybe tell us a bit about what's going on:
PC/distro, and maybe your Linux experience/goals... Best wishes!

And here's my current favorite link about 'using LQ'

Assuming you want to boot up and mess with files on a system in general with no hindrances at all I find Knoppix the best. It pays to get hold of it's cheat sheet as well as there are a lot of boot options but it does try to work with any hardware it finds and often does.

Once up there is an option to allow files to be moved around or edited etc from it's desktop. This allows things to be rescued to a plug in disk of some sort or moved to a safe place for a reinstall etc or the parent system's setting to be changed. Or it's console can be used.

Last time I used it the default language was german and no uk english but I can cope with usa keyboard via a uk one. The language was a boot option obtained from the cheat sheet. This may have changed now.

John
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waelsultan,

Welcome to LQ.

It is always a good idea to have a DVD or bootable USB drive with Rescatux to help with GRUB problems:
http://www.supergrubdisk.org/rescatux/

EDIT:

I have only just noticed that Rescatux was mentioned previously.

Also, don't forget TestDisk:
http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk

It'd be best if you explain the situation better.

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