RE: [tlug] HELP! A possible Linux Rescue CD for my Japanese files!

["Jim BLACKSON" <blackson@example.com>]

David Bennett wrote: 
> I have installed Windows on a new HD and can boot up windows with
> "access" to the broken drive. The problem is Windows crashes whenever
> it takes a look at the drive because of the sector errors. 

Even though this sounds like a hardware problem to me, let me recommend
one other software package.

My company sells EasyRecovery Data Recovery software.  It can recover
files from NTFS (or FATxx) partitions.  But it runs on Windows.  The
Japanese version can handle Japanese language file names with no problem;
the current English version may not.

You could try downloading the Japanese ER6.05J Pro Trial version from 
the web[1] and installing it on your good Windows machine.  Fire it up,
click DataRecovery, then AdvancedRecovery, select the partition, click 
次へ (Next) and see what it finds.  You would need to buy the product 
in order to copy out any files. 

[1] http://www.ontrack-japan.com/software/easyrecovery/er_trial.html

If the sector errors are too numerous or the disk hardware too broken,
EasyRecovery has been known to abort; YMMV  If the disk is making
any scratching or scaping noises at all, power off immediately; 
could be a head crash.

Another option is a professional data recovery.

> I agree with the suggestion that I should just try and save he data
> rather than repair. Reparing might result in some bad things happening
> to my file system.

In situations like this, repair _always_ results in bad things happening,
namely, the loss of your data.  For example, Windows chkdsk can hose the 
whole file system, truncate files and create thousands of useless check 
files.

Hope this helps,
jimb.
Jim Blackson
Ontrack Data Recovery Services
Ontrack Division / Y-E Data, Inc.
Tel: +81-(0)4-2932-6365