Ultimate Boot CD

afflib provides bit-level backup --something essential to do before tinkering with a system after an incident.

by using ubcd, there's no need to transfer the hardisk to a recording station.

Backup storage devices using the target computer, then proceed with forensics and/or recovery.

Please provide links to said open source programs. Would help out.

http://afflib.org/
See also their Blogroll, specifically Sleuth Kit.

cheers!