BleepingComputer.com: Must boot from disc

My computer crashed BIG time. I'm trying to boot an operating system, Knoppix from a disc and access the remains of my computer that way. Have way to much music at stake here. Anyways I've done this before but for some reason I can't now. I've tried to change the boot order in BIOS and that didn't do anything. And then I tried going to the boot menu from start up and picking the option to boot from IDE drive, which would be my disc drive, all though it was still futile. So how do I boot from a disc, and if I can't how else can I go about getting all my files and what not.

What is the make and model number of your computer?

You can find some tips of creating a Windows XP boot disk and use this boot disk to start Windows System in this link:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Windows-Xp-Start...&id=3087747

Hope it helps

kincean, on Dec 3 2009, 02:36 AM, said:

The make is a Gateway MX7515. Um yeah I guess I could make an XP boot disc that would help too. All though just a side question lets say I install a new OS, like Windows 7 perhaps would my hard drive and it's files show up in a locked folder by chance? Good I miss my computer, and music.

Using gateway recovery disks or on board system recovery.
http://support.gateway.com/s/SOFTWARE/Medi...MLXPH1asi.shtml
This one backs up your drive contents first.
http://support.gateway.com/s/SOFTWARE/Medi...MLXPH1su8.shtml

I think the boot menu lets you choose CD-rom or atapi cdrom to boot from cd.
Booting from cd can often be tough if the drive on the laptop is starting to go. Clean the disk if you see any smudges.

http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/Gatewa...8547faq20.shtml

One thing you can do is get a cheap ide-usb enclosure and plug the drive into another computer and see if you can backup your files.

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.as...rnal-Enclosures

If you have the recovery disk and your drive will read it, now would be a good time to up the size of your drive before they quit selling ide drives altogether.
PDF showing how to remove the hard drive:
http://support.gateway.com/s/Manuals/Mobile/8510188.pdf


Download the win7 upgrade adviser to see how your laptop will do before you buy it.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

This post has been edited by Ken-in-West-Seattle: 03 December 2009 - 10:11 AM

Ken-in-West-Seattle, on Dec 3 2009, 10:05 AM, said:

Ah, wicked sick that's probably all I'm going to need. I never knew my computer could do that I never would of bothered tooling with knoppix in the first place, cause you're right booting from a disc is a total pain.

I knew this would happen, but I also know there are ways around this. I've reinstalled windows and now my files are in a back up folder just like what was suppose to happen. But of course windows locked me out of the owner folder and now only tells me Acess Denied. I know there's ways around this does anybody have any tips.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308421

Should do the trick.

Ya I found that exact link before you posted it, it worked fine. Thanks for all the help everyone, this can be closed if you guys need to.