LiveCD - A possible backup-plan

So, your comp just crashed. Perhaps bluescreen on startup, or some corrupted files on your HDD? For some strange reason, no possibility to actually access the computer without getting it to an IT-professional?

Well, try out this before spending money on stuff like that IT-guy. A LiveCD may save your money.

 Story

Okay, so since last Thursday, my comp's been dead due to unknown reasons. I was quite pissed cause I had a ton of data within it. And, since it just turned black after my BIOS detected USB-ports, CD/DVD players and my HDD.

For me, I saw only two options at that moment: Try and repair the comp, or insert the HDD into another comp. The latter was something I really didn't want to do. Not because it's hard, but because there's no other desktop around apart from my friends', and I'd rather not bug them during the exam period.

So yeah, trying to reformat or reinstall should work just fine, I thought. Oh nooo, the screen was frozen after the information-line "Starting Windows".

Pretty messy, so I assumed there was some error on the startup-data, but I had no way to format without a new HDD - or a friend's comp, which turns back to the point that I didn't want to bug'em.

So wat2do? Finally I remembered Knoppix, some Linux-thing I downloaded ages ago and burned to a cd, and wanted to give it a try. Long story short, Knoppix saved my day there.

After that, I snooked out some Ubuntu x64-dvd as well, just to try the same thing: the LiveCD.

LiveCD is simply put an OS on a CD/DVD, or a memory stick or similar stuff. I've just done it with CDs because that's going to work on all comps, and because I don't want to sacrifice my 16 GB USB memory stick to that. Though that being said, having a 16+ GB USB memory stick would actually make it possible to run an OS and have the USB as a mini-HDD.

And really, the idea of having a LiveCD is genius in two ways:
- It makes you able to backup your data.
- It makes you able to test Linux without actually formatting your comp or partizise it.

Links:
Knoppix - Linux-version especially made for being a Live CD.
Ubuntu - I think Ubuntu is more compatible and has more preinstalled drivers ready to boot, but it's bigger, and it's really made more as an advertisement/teaser to Ubuntu.
LiveCD list - List over all free LiveCDs.

(Just thought I'd share my experience)

I've done this before and it's a great way to fix a problem if your Windows gets fucked up. Unfortunately, not everyone knows how to use *NIX systems. They should learn though

BartPE is a good solution if you have a genuine Windows CD on you.

I did the above quite a few times with Ubuntu.

Alternatively, you can get an external HDD case and put the HDD in there, but you will need another comp.