Can't See The Folder I Want To Backup In DOS! Help!

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jdng · #1 Post by **jdng** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 5:43 pm

Hi

So my comp crashed. When I boot it up I get an error message

“Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: windows\system32\config\system”

So I decided to run recovery console. I did chkdsk /r/p and still didn’t work so I tried the copy the “system, software, sam, security, default” thing in the config folder but it wouldn’t allow me (when I “dir” the config folder I get “an error occurred during directory enumeration”).

So yeah, I gave up and decided to backup a few things and format. I got 2 hard drives, c: where windows is in and d: with just files in it, so I want to transfer a few things from c: to d.

Recovery Console only has the COPY command so it wouldn’t allow me to copy a folder I want to backup (can’t use wildcards even when I did set allowwildcards = true). Did a few googling and found out the command I’m looking for is XCOPY.

So then I tried programs such as XXCOPY, NTFS reader, freebootdisk, NTFS4DOS. When I boot it up, I can’t see the folder I want to backup (C:\Downloads) and some of my other folders (D:\Movies, etc) but in Recovery Console, I see everything, not these programs though. Also, Recovery Console shows C:\Documents and Settings, whereas these programs show C:\DOCUME~1 with missing folders and files.

So is there a way I can copy my C:\Downloads folder to my D:\ drive, like what bootable program I can use since I can’t start windows open can boot from cd.

Thanks.

Constance · #2 Post by **Constance** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:41 pm

Hello there :]

I'd recommend trying with UBCD4Win (you'll need to build it from another, working computer), that's the most simple way of copying files from a NTFS volume when you can't boot on your own working system.

jdng · #3 Post by **jdng** » Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:49 pm

hi

i got the UBCD from this website and tried the programs listed above and it didn't work, so would the UBCD4Win work? whats the difference between the two?

as702 · #4 Post by **as702** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 1:36 am

jdng wrote:hi

i got the UBCD from this website and tried the programs listed above and it didn't work, so would the UBCD4Win work? whats the difference between the two?

UBCD4Win is good, i agree. You could also do it via DSL Linux (Damn Small Linux).

http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

download the ISO and burn. Once booted, simply open a terminal and mount the drives as follows:

Code: Select all

#sudo su

this will give you root privileges. now type

Code: Select all

#mount /dev/hda1 /mnt/hda1

where hda1 = first physical drive, 1st partition. you may have to repeat the step using hda2 in order to access the second parition.

then, copy away

#5 Post by **Icecube** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:44 am

Or try "puppy linux" (90 MiB). You just have to click on a icon to mount a drive. It is made for people who want to switch for windows to linux, so it is very user friendly.

jdng · #6 Post by **jdng** » Wed Jul 02, 2008 7:11 pm

hey

thanks for the help. i was able to backup with the linux program. i used damnsmalllinux and it detected all my files and folders but i cannot copy cause the partition was read-only ntfs. so i did a few googling and found out i have to use the command 'ntfs-3g' which did the trick. ntfs-3g wasnt included in damnsmalllinux but is in puppy linux.