[NTLUG:Discuss] HD problems from a Windows machine

[Leroy Tennison]

Russ wrote:

>Thanks for the reply,
>
>Again, my apologies for a Windows question on a LUG mailing list.  I
>was hoping I could use Linux to safely assist my friend.
>
>On 12/19/05, Rev. wRy <slot0k at pogox.org> wrote:
>  
>
>>On Mon, Dec 19, 2005 at 09:27:18PM -0500, Russ wrote:
>><snip>
>>
>>Have you considered pulling the drive and mounting it in a working box, linux or windows?
>>    
>>
>
>I thought that I would be able to use Knoppix to read/copy selected
>files to a floppy and that would be good enough.  I was somewhat
>reticent to expose a working PC to what looked like a particularly
>nasty virus/trogan/worm/rootkit (?) that looked like it trashed the
>motherboard, and/or the memory, and/or the HD of the first PC.
>
>I admit I didn't remember the status of the PC into which I put the
>HD.  I had been using it to look at various distros of Linux and at
>one time it had been set up as WinXP Pro with SP2.  I just don't
>remember when all that was and I didn't check to see what was on the
>PC before I did the R&R of the HD.  I didn't take the time to put a
>double-head ribbon cable in the PC.  Since there was only the direct
>connect ribbon cable, I just disconnected the old HD and connected the
>new one.
>
>Are you thinking that a fully functional, protected Windows PC would
>be the way to go?  I'm a bit nervous with that because I've been told
>that the first PC was running WinXP Home with SP2, all the patches,
>Norton Internet Security, Microsoft Antispyware, Spybot-S&D, AdAware,
>and SpywareBlaster.  It still got hit by something.
>
>CompUSA's solution was a new motherboard, memory, and HD; I think
>because it would make them money.  My friend's solution was to buy a
>new machine when he saw the parts/labor estimate from CompUSA.
>
>Russ
>
>_______________________________________________
>https://ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>  
>
If there was something that attacked it had to get control of the CPU 
somehow.  If it's Windows-specific malware then it's not going to run on 
Linux.  besides, unless the good HD is FAT, the default NTFS support for 
Knoppix is read-only.  Worst case, go buy a small/cheap used drive for 
the work.