Re: Need help with a totally avoidable problem

Frog Prince wrote:
> 
> I've just stated doing volunteer tech support for a local food bank.  Folk
> have a heart of gold but  ....
> 
> In any case we have two PCs running Windows 2000 pro  (NT).  They can't find
> the CDs, any of the documentation or even the 1.44 emergency start up disk.
> (if there ever was one)
> 
> One system has a proper firewall and AV the other is a 'faith based system'
> where in lies the problem

Can you make an emergency boot floppy from the functional system?

> They have some mission critical data on the second (no back up since 3 +
> years) AND now have either a system problem or (more likely) mal ware on the
> HDD.

Don't you love the combination of "mission critical data" and "what's
a backup?"

> I can boot from the CD, from the 1.44 floppy and the HDD under normal
> conditions.  What are my options to access the HDD to recover the critical
> file?

Can I assume that the system will no longer boot from the HD?

> I have another stand alone PC that I can use that has a good HDD to boot,
> perhaps I can set the effected HDD drive up as a slave?
> 
> System is connected to the internet via a how brew Ethernet system that is a
> kluge of left over equipment but as far as I can tell there is no provision
> for file sharing nor do they have any active network servers.
> 
> What say ye'all.

Physically connecting the HD to the other computer is certainly one way
of going about it.  (And if the system can't boot anymore from the HD,
it may just be the quickest/easiest way.)

If the system can boot, and still has net connectivity, one kludge would
be to e-mail the file to yourself, and then retrieve it from e-mail via
the other computer.

Are the computers physically networked together (even if there is no
sharing currently set up)?

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| Kenneth J. Brody        | www.hvcomputer.com |                             |
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