quote:
Originally posted by rav0
quote:
Originally posted by CookieRevised
quote:
Originally posted by rav0
Buy a pack of blank DVDs and start backing up furiously just incase it dies completely.
She can connect the HDD to another PC and access it like that. You don't need to backup everything.
An OS not booting up doesn't mean you lost your data. The data is still there, only the OS you used to access that data can't be started. So simply use another OS (aka another PC) to access it.
I know that, but if Sunshine had her files and OS on the one volume, and the OS ceased to be usable, formatting that volume to erase the existing OS would also erase her files.
The hard disk could still be used from another, working OS, but it would need to be on a computer with space for the hard disk with the dead OS on it, and even if one was found, it is more of a hassle copying files like this than burning the files before the OS died.
Connecting the HDD to another PC is far more less hassle then _hoping_ to be able to boot up on the faulty OS, then _hoping_ that your cdrom/dvd drive works (and its drivers) and then _hoping_ that there aren't any errors while you are writing the dvd/cd...
When you connect the HDD to another PC, all you need to do is drag & drop your files, nothing more...
Also, in most cases, people don't have all 4 IDE ports used up. And even then, simple disconnect an existing HDD or cdrom or whatever. Realy, connecting a HDD to another PC is as easy as 123. Far more easier, safer and much quicker than hoping and praying and sweating while you try to kick start the faulty OS and the big chance that your backup isn't written correctly anyways...
As for the formatting part; She doesn't need to format her HDD for this. Even then, if she did she also couldn't make a backup like you suggest either...
Of course, for backing up data on a healthy system, writing data directly to a dvd/cd is best; you don't need to swap your HDD then. But in this case the OS isn't healthy anymore and Sunshine does have a second PC she can use. In that situation swapping HDD's is the quickest and safest way to backup..
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