using Mint 18.2 to fix Win10

[crimsonninja]

I run linux mint 18.2 on an external hard drive as a secondary operating system to windows 10 on my lenovo laptop. My windows 10 system hit a BSoD. Im trying to use my backup OS (mint) and usb stick to recover my main drive and OS. i have the win10 iso downloaded but without RUFUS idk how to make a successful recovery. would someone please help?

[bob466]

Let me understand this...you want this Linux Mint forum to help you recover your Windows spyware 10 OS Laptop from a BSOD.

[crimsonninja]

heres the deal. i never wanted to use windows. it came installed when i bought it (pawn shop). all im trying to do is recover one or two files (pictures my wife put on there) before i wipe it of my 1tb drive and use a stand alone distro. which is what i bought it for in the first place.

[JeremyB]

I would try windows recovery software that boots up using CD/DVD/USB rather than using Linux to see if it works. Do some research on the software before installing so you don't have more issues due to trojan's or BIOS/bootloader viruses

[crimsonninja]

Ill try that, thank you.

[MintBean]

If you burn a Mint DVD or USB and boot from it, you should be able to browse the Windows disc and pull the required files from it without fixing Windows.

[syg00]

Ii have the win10 iso downloaded but without RUFUS idk how to make a successful recovery. would someone please help?

An iso is just a blob - use Brasero to "Burn image to disk" or whatever the option is to burn it to a DVD.
I'm not sure if that iso is compatible with burning to USB.

Edit: Just saw your follow-up post. Ignore the above, just follow post immediately above this.

[pbear]

If you burn a Mint DVD or USB and boot from it, you should be able to browse the Windows disc and pull the required files from it without fixing Windows.

Agreed. crimsonninja, if you're not quite understanding this, what you do is boot up Linux. If your external hard drive works, you're golden. Open the file manager. Nemo for Cinnamon, Caja for MATE, Thunar for XFCE. There's an icon for this in the lower-left of the screen (also can be opened from Menu). In File Manager, you'll see a navigation pane on the left with the available locations to view files. One of those will be the internal hard drive, listed as a device as that's how it appears to the system you have running. Click on that and it will be mounted. From there, you can copy files to the external drive very easily.

All this assumes, of course, that the internal drive is working. If not, you're out of luck no matter what strategy you try.

[Minterator]

heres the deal. i never wanted to use windows. it came installed when i bought it (pawn shop). all im trying to do is recover one or two files (pictures my wife put on there) before i wipe it of my 1tb drive and use a stand alone distro. which is what i bought it for in the first place.

Your Linux OS can mount and read your Windows partitions. Just copy out the files you need in your file manager.

[JerryF]

I agree with the others. No need to fix Win 10. Boot Mint and browse the Win 10 partition where your files are that you want to move/copy.

[Mark Phelps]

Most likely, you will NOT be able to read the Win10 filesystem booted from Linux media.

Why?

Because Win10 comes with a new form of hibernation enabled BY DEFAULT! This means, even when Windows is not running, the filesystem it uses remains mounted.

And THAT will prevent any Linux distro from mounting the same filesystem.

This has been general knowledge for over two years now!

[kukamuumuka]

Most likely, you will NOT be able to read the Win10 filesystem booted from Linux media.

Why?

Because Win10 comes with a new form of hibernation enabled BY DEFAULT! This means, even when Windows is not running, the filesystem it uses remains mounted.

And THAT will prevent any Linux distro from mounting the same filesystem.

This has been general knowledge for over two years now!

That can bypass the next way:
1. Open Terminal and run

Code: Select all

sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdXY ## Where X=drive and Y=partition

2. After that remove hiberfile like

Code: Select all

sudo ntfs-3g -o remove_hiberfile /dev/sdXY /mnt  ## Where X=drive and Y=partition

[Mattyboy]

Most likely, you will NOT be able to read the Win10 filesystem booted from Linux media.

Why?

Because Win10 comes with a new form of hibernation enabled BY DEFAULT! This means, even when Windows is not running, the filesystem it uses remains mounted.

This is true. However if you run msconfig in Windows you can disable this in the boot tab and/or running

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shutdown /s /t 0

in command prompt.
Its the first thing you should do if you plan on running a dual boot system if you wish to access files on your windows machine.

Not much help if you can't boot to Windows.

Few options here. Try force mounting the drive in Linux using the

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sudo mount /dev/*

you may be able to navigate the drive in read mode only.

Boot Windows ( try ) holding the shift button.

Or boot a Windows 10 installation disk or DVD and click the next button until you see the advanced recover option and select that. Either do one of the following.

Open command prompt and run

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shutdown /s /t 0

See if you can now access files from Linux.

Run System restore keeping your files.

Run Startup Repair

You can finally try the start up settings option. Try safe boot or Enable debugging mode. You'll need to understand the basics of Windows folder and file ( tree ) structure and basic command prompt to navigate to your files and copy them elsewhere for that last one.

This is all presuming you've turned off fast/secure boot etc in you UEFI/Bio's

You should, with a little work be able to recover things despite Windows sucking more than brazzers

[pbear]

This has been general knowledge for over two years now!

For this reason, I consider it SOP to disable fast start when setting up a Win10 machine to boot Linux. OTOH, as it's not mentioned in the Mint manual, it may be the OP didn't realize it was an important thing to do. If not, hopefully one of the workarounds suggested will work. More than I know.

[Pierre]

if that Windows System has indeed crashed out, then you will get a Yellow Exclamation Mark,
when viewed in Gparted .. .. and which could get fixed by:

1. Open Terminal and run

Code: Select all

sudo ntfsfix /dev/sdXY ## Where X=drive and Y=partition

but, if you are using win-10, then you could also try using:
2. After that remove hiberfile like

Code: Select all

sudo ntfs-3g -o remove_hiberfile /dev/sdXY /mnt  ## Where X=drive and Y=partition

& which was suggested by administrollaattori , and if these did actually work out,
- then it would save some serious headache(s) in trying to repair that darn Windows System.

[Minterator]

^ good advice above. That Windows fake hibernation mode seems designed to prevent people from using Linux?

This community is very generous in helping members fix their Windows BSOD. Most computers come with Windows 10 pre-installed, the first thing I always do with mine is to wipe that $hit off my property.

[Mark Phelps]

^ good advice above. That Windows fake hibernation mode seems designed to prevent people from using Linux?

MS designed this to speed up reboot on Win10 systems; it has nothing whatsoever to do with running a Linux OS on the same PC.

The SAME problem happens if you dual-boot more than one Windows OS -- when in the other OS, if Fast Startup is enabled in Win10, those other OSs will also NOT be able to access the Win10 filesystem.

So, it does not affect only Linux OSs.