I don't know how to 'remount' my windows partition while using Knoppix!!! Help!
 

I have reached the end of my creative mood :(

I just used my Knoppix 7.0 CD to try and recover my windows (to fix the mbr and to 'try' and fix Windows XP start up.)

I still was not able to boot into windows _ so I began trying a lot of different commands that I found online.
Now when I boot to Knoppix - It doesnt see my HD/win dir.

I want to at least set it back how it was...so that I can view my files. Please help and speak a #user# language I can understand - Thank you in advance! Dont tell me how dumb it is ....what I've done...I already know it :(

need some information
 

what kind of boot loader are you using?
which windows are you using?

do you have the windows install cds for your system?

can you boot up Knoppix and put up here the results of:

these commands will show us what drives and partitions your computer has and let us know if any are mounted
if you get a complaint about 'permissions' or an empty result, you may need to run them as root:
as long as the windows drive is still there we should be able to get you into it and at your files from your knoppix live cd, as for restoring the mbr you will need the windows cds or you may be able to replace it with another boot loader from within knoppix

The best way to fix Windows booting is to use an actual Windows CD/DVD for repairing.

Anyways, for helping you we need to know which commands you tried out, so that we can get a basic understanding on what you have done.

more info
 

Hello!!

Thank you for replying. I have windows XP (OS) ....A few days ago, I got a blue screen and it wouldnt boot past this. Also, it was not possible to access the recovery partition (no cds with this desktop) and of course even when running another XP CD, it would show this blue screen warning, right after loading all the drivers and it would not even go to the set-up screen.
I looked up the code on the blue screen- and I am pretty sure it is because of some sort of virus or registry -sytem file corruption (not hardware). I ran a basic HD test from using a USB device as a bootable disk - it said everything is/was OK Hardware wise)

Anyways, I am using the KNoppix 7 from a CD - and I did different commands to re-write the MBR and to take 'grubs' out of the Boot and also, I typed commands to look at the drive and the partition.....Every site I visited, I tried the advice to fix the Windows boot and MBR and so on.

I dont remember all the commands - at one point, I was so ticked about this whole mess, I just tried every #fix# posted out there.

After all of this, when I boot to Knoppix, it no longer shows the windows directory in the KNoppix folder on the desktop.

I will run your suggested commands - and I will post the results ASAP.

I know this is really stupid - but I was working with no sleep!! :( Anyone up for a late night phone call? :)

Elli

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ mount /mnt/sda
mount: can't find /mnt/sda in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ # ls /dev/sd*
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ # de -hl
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19452 cylinders, total 312500000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1ec31ec2

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$



Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ # sudo ls /dev/sd*
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ # sudo df -hl
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ # sudo fdisk -l
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$
knoppix@Microknoppix:~$


It's clear that I must have typed the last command wrong :(

Your fdisk output shows no partitions at all, which indicates that you have overwritten the partition table. It may be possible to restore the partition table using Testdisk, but that is dependent on which command was run to overwrite the partition table.

the knoppix CD ( and 7.2 is the current and not the OLD 7.0 )

will AUTO place all partitions on the knoppix desktop ,once it boots into the GUI

just fallow the on screen instructions during the text part of the boot cycle

the knoppix live cd dose NOT use "sudo"
you ARE already root

once you are welcomed by the default knoppix desktop
all partitions will be listed on the desktop

TestDisk 6.14-WIP, Data Recovery Utility, September 2012
Christophe GRENIER <grenier@cgsecurity.org>
http://www.cgsecurity.org

Disk /dev/sda - 160 GB / 149 GiB - CHS 19452 255 63
Partition Start End Size in sectors
* FAT16 >32M 0 1 1 6 254 63 112392 [DellUtility]
>P HPFS - NTFS 7 0 1 18844 254 63 302632470
P FAT32 LBA 18846 0 1 19451 254 63 9735390 [DellRestore]


Structure: Ok. Use Up/Down Arrow keys to select partition.
Use Left/Right Arrow keys to CHANGE partition characteristics:
*=Primary bootable P=Primary L=Logical E=Extended D=Deleted
Keys A: add partition, L: load backup, T: change type, P: list files,
Enter: to continue
NTFS, blocksize=4096, 154 GB / 144 GiB

OK...so shouldn't I change the NTFS system to "bootable" - by using the star? When I started to do that - it said "BAD" so...

I am not sure what to do next at this screen....please advise.

(I have learned my lesson....next time, I promise not to play around with "fixes" and "commands" that I dont understand clearly !!)

OK...I guess I needed to first take the *star*
out of 'partition 1' - then it let me add it to the NTFS windows partition - should I hit 'write partition structure to disk' ???

Keep the star on the first partition, it is most likely that the Windows bootloader does actually reside there. After writing to the disk rerun the fdisk -l command to see if your partitions are now recognized.

Well, I had already moved the *star down to the larger NTSF disk.....
and after rebooting from the KNopCD- I can now see the drive under Knoppix :) At least I am back where I began.

I can't boot to windows, but I can see all the files under Knoppix.

At least we have made some progress :)

backup
 

now that you have access to the files again from your knoppix live cd... maybe, right now, a backup would be your best bet then?

it is difficult to know for sure what damage if any has been done beyond the mbr,
but if you lack the windows cds but do have a large external hd,
maybe just backup the files from your windows install you want to save and do a factory reset on the entire machine?

just a suggestion

Your right cin :) - I guess "you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away...and know when to run" A wise man once told me this (from a song I think ;)

Anyways - can you tell me what folders would be most important when I start copying to an external (USB) drive? I know the obvious "Documents and Settings" - can you think of any strange places where windows might store important data?? Anything that was important to me , I either stored under my documents-pictures-downloads-...sometimes to the desktop. I don't think there should be any other location to copy to my backup drive....

Also, Any advice on how I can restore the whole PC...I can see the recovery partition (DELL XPS 400) but I cannot access it. (not thru ctrl4 or ctrl8)

I don't know how to 'remount' my windows partition while using Knoppix!!! Help!
 

Looks like the Dell xp 400 uses <ctrl>F9 to do the restore. Be warned that it WILL blow away all your data so backup your important files first.
Play Bonny!
:hattip: