Hi David,
On 11/01/12 22:30, David Tubbs wrote:
I have assiduously avoided getting into Linux knowing I have not enough
gray cells left to cope with another OS.
Ha, rubbish! Even an old dog (like me) can be taught new tricks! Anyway,
if you use Linux Mint you will find it very much like Windows - and
you'll be able to play MP3s and watch DVDs etc straight out of the box.
But that's for another day ...
But I am lumbered with a problem HDD, a SATA 320GB with damaged TIVO
files to be recovered. Ex a Sagecom setop box.
The suspision is they are written in Linux speak.
Most likely ext2 or ext3.
I can connect the HDD thru' USB dongle
It is not seen by Explorer
Because explorer doesn't understand anything with non-windows file
systems on, so it pretends they don't exist. Very insular. ;-)
But Device mngr sees it as USB mass storage.
Correct - because it can see the device. Explorer can't see it until you
format it with something that it recognises. Windows is almost useless
for anything "interesting" in this respect - we use Linux to rescue
Windows boxes at work.
I have downloaded "Damn small Linux" and got it running but have no idea
how to link the drive in or to transfer between systems.
Yes, probably not the best Linux for an absolute beginner. I'd go with
Tim's suggestion to use a "live" distro on CD to try to rescue these files.
Dsl's forum non responsive.
:-(
I've never used Ubuntu in anger and the most recent versions are losing
popularity because they have changed everything in the GUI to a
completely new system - which almost everyone dislikes.
Based on Ubuntu however, is Linux Mint. I think release 12 is out just
now. It is a Live CD and should help you get things rescued. However, if
the TIVO hasn't formatted an ext2 or 3 (or 4) file system, even Linux
Mint may not be able to recognise it.
Mint 12 is on the cover dvd on Linux Format in the shops about now.
However, you can download an ISO to burn as a CD Image from
http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php - if you only have a CD burner,
get the CD image. It will say "No Codecs" but don't worry - that's the
stuff to make MP3s and DVDs work - they install with a click later - if
needed.
I'm describing Mint 11 using Gnome desktop here, so if you need/want to
follow along, go here to download the CD image
http://www.linuxmint.com/release.php?id=16.
Burn the ISO to CD as desired by your Cd burning tools of choice. Make
sure you burn it as an image and don't just burn the iso file onto a CD
as a data file - it won't work.
(The iso file is an image of a CD and most CD burning tools have the
option to "Burn Image" or "Burn ISO Image" etc to convert the iso to a
fully functional and usually bootable, CD.)
The other question is where are you going to save the files? You may
need a second USB drive - most likely formatted in FAT32 or NTFS for
Windows to see it.
Basically, there's nothing to the process. Plus the USB dongle thing
into your computer and attach the drive.
Put the Linux CD in the drive and power on. You may need to go into the
BIOS at boot time to set the system to boot off of a CD/DVD before the
hard disc if you find Windows booting up instead of Linux.
Once into Linux Mint the USB device(s) should be connected. You may see
an icon on the desktp for each of your attached USB devices, if so,
where I mention double-clicking on "Computer" and opening a device,
simply double-click on the appropriate icon on the desktop for the drive.
On the desktop, double-click on "Computer". When it opens, you should
see something akin to Windows Explorer. On the left side is a list of
"Places" and on the right a number of devices. You should be able to see
your TIVO drive here. Double click it. (The drive might not be labelled
with a recognisable label - it might just say "500GB USB drive" or similar.)
Another window will open. (This depends on how Mint is configured, it
may well open in the current window!)
You should now be able to see your TIVO drive's files. Hopefully there's
something you recognise present.
Back on the desktop, double-click on the "Computer" icon again, but this
time open your "rescue" drive.
You can now copy between the TIVO drive and the Rescue one by
right-clicking -> copy on the folders/files in the Tivo drive and right
click->Paste on the rescue drive.
When done, you need to do the Linux equivalent of "safely remove" with
both the Tivo and Rescue devices. To do this you can shut down all open
windows again. If you have icons on the desktop, right-click and "safely
remove". If not, double-clock "Computer" again and in the right side
list, right-click each device and "safely remove" it.
Job done.
Ok, potential problems, device permissions. Linux is a secure system
whereas Windows is "less" secure. In Linux, the root user is god and
owns everything.
If you find that you cannot copy or paste folders and/or files, then you
need to remount the devices with better permissions. I think you'll be
ok though as I'm sure that the live CD runs as root!
Give me a shout back if you have problems and I'll do what I can. I use
Mint to demonstrate to Windows users what they are missing (!!!) in a
real operating system that is completely user friendly but not for my
day job which involves other flavours of Linux such as Red Hat
Enterprise and Suse Linux Enterprise versions.
Mint is, in my opinion, highly suitable for Linux beginners as it "just
works" out of the box - in fact, I suspect most of Dilwyn's PC problems
would vanish overnight if he switched. <Grins, ducks and runs>
Have fun.
Cheers,
Norm.
--
Norman Dunbar
Dunbar IT Consultants Ltd
Registered address:
Thorpe House
61 Richardshaw Lane
Pudsey
West Yorkshire
United Kingdom
LS28 7EL
Company Number: 05132767
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