Get back a file from a crashed linux system

[peterchu]

I have a RH linux server but it is crashed , now this server can't connect cdrom , can't connect network and even can't boot , I have a important file inside the HD , I want to get back the file , if I unplug the HD and plug it to a windows server , can I see the file from windows explorer ? if not , could suggest the way how to get back the file ? thx

[renarios]

Hi,

Windows does not support Linux file systems (ext2, ext3), so that doesn't work. Try to mount the disk in another Linux box.

Cheerio,

Renarios

[Stuart Browne]

If it's a stand-alone IDE disk in the machine, then yes, you can possibly do it that way.

If the filesystem's on the disk are in EXT2/3 format (these are the defaults on a RH system), then you can transplant the disk into another system. If you have the new system with both disks, there are tools which allow you to read an EXT2/3 filesystem under Windows. There are a few tools listed at http://linux-ntfs.sourceforge.net/info/ntfs.html#3.2 , but otherwise do a google search for 'windows ext2'.

If the network isn't working, nor is the CD-ROM, it sounds like the mainboard has died on you (assuming everything is on the mainboard, like most modern computers these days).

[Huc_1]

You could also put the disk in a working system and boot this system using a knoppix live cd.

with knoppix you would be able to mount the disk and cp/tar copy the files some where else
or backup the entire disk!

have a look at for details.

http://www.knoppix.org/

Jean-Pierre Huc