Linux versus Windows for data recovery

[OVERKILL]

I think a few on here will appreciate the below story

A few weeks ago, one of our work Thinkpad's, which was only about a month old popped up an impending hard drive failure notice and the message about backing up your stuff.

I took the TP, put a new HDD in it, and started to copy the data from the old drive. I got two directories in and the drive hung.

Hooked the drive up to my box to try and bring it over to an intermediate location..... It didn't get past taking ownership of the user's folder then it hung again.

Upon bringing the drive back up, I could no longer access the information in the first two partitions on the drive. Windows said they needed to be formatted.

UH OH!

A pile of power cycles later, letting it cool overnight....etc Nothing

I then tried Ontrack and EASUS recovery utilities even as going as far as block level recovery.

Still no love

Tried with the drive hooked directly to a controller on my PC and via the USB adapter. It made no difference.

So, due to some remote server work I was doing this weekend, I had booted into Fedora. I updated to FC16 and then while trying to get my Squeezebox server operational again, I figured I'd give Linux a shot.

AND HOW!

Turned the USB controller on, all three partitions showed up. Was able to access and copy the data off without a problem! No need for recovery software either. It hung once, I power cycled it, it showed back up and Thunar just resumed where it had left off.

I had a good chuckle over this one

Anyway, just another situation where Linux shines over Windows

 

[97prizm]

Absolutely,

I used Linux Mint on two separate occasions to rid my co-works computers of viruses. Really with the easy opf use now (Linux mint) There is really no reason to buy or use windows nor waste money on a mac book which are c#ap anyway.-M

 

[AandPDan]

Same here.

I keep a live CD of Ubuntu around just in case I need to recover anything.

It's come in handy many times!

 

[Colt45ws]

Yup, I keep Linux around too.
Though I got tired of losing CDs, so now Im setup with a PXE network boot of Ultimate Boot CD, which includes Parted Magic. Which is a OS for partitioning but also includes other useful programs for cloning and data recovery.

 

[rg200amp]

Originally Posted By: 97prizm

Absolutely,

waste money on a mac book which are c#ap anyway.-M


Not to hijack the thread, but please explain. Not the waste money part since that is up to the buyer to decide.

 

[NJC]

Good story, and it's a great feeling to finally see the lost data again.