I agree in theory, but that's provided you have encrypted your disk. Anyone can access an XP file system from a boot floppy. The only part that is protected are individual account folders. All you have to do then is take ownership.
For example, I have my computers on a domain. If I set the root drive of one of the workstations to share for example, and set permissions, I can read and write to that drive from another one of the workstations. I can do anything I want to it.
See, Windows XP does not encrypt all files and folders by default. It has the ability to, but it doesn't do it on it's own. You have to tell it to do so.
I don't know where this dumbass idea of linux came from. Linux isn't the be all and end all.
WINDOWS HARDWARE
Knoppix Hacks: Use Knoppix to rescue Windows
Kyle Rankin
07.29.2005
Rating: -4.80- (out of 5)
In Knoppix Hacks: 100 Industrial-Strength Tips & Tools, author Kyle Rankin explains how the Knoppix CD can be used as an indispensable, multi-purpose tool for administrators. One of the many things Knoppix can accomplish is rescuing Windows. In this e-mail exchange, Rankin provides instructions for using Knoppix in place of the Windows Recovery CD.
What are some instances where the Knoppix CD could be used to rescue a Windows machine?
Rankin: I've found that Knoppix has almost all of the functionality of the Windows Recovery CD in terms of system repair, plus a lot more. You can scan a system for viruses, back up files from any directory on the system to removable storage like a USB drive, and can even reset the Administrator password and edit the registry all within Knoppix.
Why not use the Windows Recovery CD?
Rankin: Most people that I've run into who use the Windows Recovery CD have been frustrated with how limited the functionality is. For instance, you can't copy a file to a floppy. You can't edit text files. You can't even browse outside of the %SYSTEMROOT% directory and root folder (for most system this is C:\ and C:\Windows), which means you can't recover your documents and settings from it. When you are trying to recover a system, one of the last things you want is for the recovery tool to get in your way, and that is what the Windows Recovery CD does, once you try to use it past its boundaries.
Why, in your opinion, has Microsoft taken away many of the settings off their recovery CD?
Rankin: I can only assume that they removed the functionality for security reasons. It can't be for space concerns -- edit isn't that large, and neither is adding the ability to copy to a floppy. It's also possible that they simply decided that the features they allowed were the only features they wanted people to have from the rescue CD.
Hack #72 from your book talks about how to back up files and settings. Would you describe a scenario where Windows might be unable to boot?
Rankin: There are any number of scenarios that might cause a Windows system to be unable to boot, such as important system files that are corrupted, a broken boot loader, physical hard drive errors, and of course viruses. I actually introduced Knoppix to a friend of mine because her daughter accidentally loaded a virus onto her system that prevented it from booting. I was able to describe the few steps to recover the data to her and she went home with a Knoppix CD and a USB drive and was able to drag and drop all of her important data (irreplaceable pictures and tax records) onto the USB drive.
What are the steps to using Knoppix to back up your Windows files when Windows won't boot? Rankin: The first step is to boot Knoppix. One of the best ways to recover the data is to plug in a USB drive of some sort.
- When the desktop loads, you will see at least two hard drive icons on the desktop (one for your hard drive and one for the USB drive).
- Click on the hard drive icons to open them up and figure out which drive is which.
- Right-click the USB drive icon and choose "Actions > Change read/write mode" so you can write to the drive (it's read-only by default for security reasons).
- Now find the files you want to back up and drag and drop them to the USB drive. When you are finished, shut down the system and remove the USB drive.
http://searchwincomputing.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid68_gci1207497,00.html
And that is only one site there.
System recovery with Knoppix
What to do when good disks go bad
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-knopx.html
Computer First Aid Using Knoppix
By Cedric Shock and Susan Sullivan
These instructions were written using Knoppix version 3.7. It can be downloaded from
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html. This document is available online at
http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/. There is also an
older version written for Knoppix 3.2. If you need help with these instructions or have corrections or suggestions please direct your communications to cedric
shockfamily.net.
Preface: Don't Panic
Windows just crashed. The computer won't boot back up. Those "System Recovery Disks" that came with your computer will erase all of your data. In most cases, when Windows breaks and will not start up again, none of your data has been lost, you just don't have a way to get to it. These instructions are a way of getting to your data when Windows won't work. If these instructions fail to recover your data, don't panic; even in cases of physically damaged drives, reformatted drives, and accidentally deleted files, professional data recovery companies typically have a 95 to 98% success rate.
http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/
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