LiveCDs as Rescue Disks (WAS: [linux-audio-user] Ardour Crash + can't boot)

[Mark Knecht]

Matthew Allen wrote:
>>
>>And again, I think that having a good LiveCD for looking at these
>>things helps a lot.
> 
> 
> 
> 	I don't know how many times I have used Damn Small Linux to save
> a bad Lilo or GRUB install. Last weekend I even used it to get data off
> a Disk that windows refused to boot with. I am seriously thinking about
> burning DSL to a credit card mini CD and keeping it in my wallet.
> 
> .matt
> 

We are in violent agreement. If Aaron was running DSL or Dynebolic then 
he's have a completely operational system from which to look at the 
drive in question. Without this the ability to get the system booted, or 
the stability and/or availablility of any tool, is in question.

I recently ran DSL, Dynebolic, Gentoo LiveCD AND Knoppix in Frys on all 
of the laptops I was considering until I found models that ran all 4 
CDs. This gave me a lot of confidence that once I got the laptop home 
I'd be able to put Linux on it. It worked. I know watch DVD using Xine 
and Alsa just fine.

These CDs are really valuable in times like Aaron is going through.

I also started running SMART tools yesterday to learn about what they 
can do. Probably this is a good thing for others to look into also but I 
cannot really say yet. They are not difficult to use though and give a 
lot of interesting info.

- Mark