In this guide I explain how to recover files from a laptop with crashed Windows OS. You can use same technique to recover files from desktop computers. I will be recovering files using Knoppix live Linux CD. You can follow my guide even if you have never used Linux before.
You should be able to use my data recovery guide in one of the following scenarios:
1. Windows OS crashed and your laptop (or desktop) displays BSOD error (example on the picture below).
2. Your computer got infected with viruses or spyware and will not boot to the desktop.
3. Windows will not boot because some boot files are missing or corrupted.
4. You forgot password for your user account.
5. Windows will not load because the hard drive has bad sectors or other minor damage.
6. You accidentally deleted or damaged some Windows system files.
In my example I am using Knoppix version 6.0.1 which is the latest one at the time of writing this guide.
Your Knoppix might look different as they release newer versions, but general file recovery steps will be the same.
