Peppermint Live CD/DVD/USB - Create for Emergency Backup

Create Live Peppermint CD/DVD/USB to Backup Data when Windows 7 Will Not Boot​

   Information

In some instances, Windows 7 installations can become non-bootable if serious corruption of the system files have taken place, for example through the action of malware. If these corruptions are extremely severe, the installation cannot be repaired and the only course of action left is often to wipe (format) the hard disk and reinstall Windows 7 from scratch. Before you do that, however, you may wish to copy any user data (photo's, music etc.) files from the faulty installation to a backup drive.

This tutorial will show you how to do this in just a few easy steps by creating a free Live PepperMint5 Linux distribution on a bootable USB flash drive or CD.

   Note

There are many free Linux distributions that can accomplish this task, but I have specifically chosen PepperMint5 because:

• it is a small, lightweight distribution

• it has a look & feel that will be familiar to Windows-only users

• it does not require any knowledge of Linux jargon (e.g. sda1, sda2)

• it is easy for novice users to understand

*** Update ***
I've decided to replace the use of the Lili USB creator originally referenced in this tutorial, with the Rufus USB creator, after some reports of problems with Lili. Special thanks to jumanji who brought this to my attention, and also suggested Rufus as an alternative.

The screen capture images are taken from PepperMint3 -- the distro available at the time of writing this tutorial -- but they are the same for later versions such as PepperMint4 or PepperMint5.

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:note: Requirements:
In order to perform an emergency backup, you will need the following :

Hardware:-

• External USB drive (to store your backed-up data)

• 1Gb or larger USB thumb/flash drive (to hold your bootable PepperMint5 installation)

Software:-

• Rufus USB Creator (to create the PepperMint5 installation)

• 32-bit edition of PepperMint5

You will need to know how to boot the troublesome computer from either a CD/DVD or USB drive. The way you do this depends largely on the make of BIOS of your computer. If you aren't sure, just ask.

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Step A - Creating the Live Peppermint5 USB/CD/DVD

On a working computer download Rufus and the PepperMint5 ISO from the links above. Now run Rufus by double-clicking the Rufus executable.

Replicate the settings shown in the Rufus panel below. Use the CD icon to browse to the location of the PepperMint5 ISO, and confirm that correct ISO is selected as shown at the very bottom of the panel.


Click Start, and then OK on the warning pop-up to write the ISO and make the USB flash drive bootable. Once complete, a confirmation message is displayed, as shown below.

You can now close Rufus and unplug the USB flash drive. You have now created the Live PepperMint5 Linux USB.

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Step B - Booting from the Live Peppermint5 USB/CD/DVD

Insert the USB flash drive into a USB2 port (or insert the CD/DVD into the DVD drive) on the problem computer and boot with either device.

After a few seconds, the PepperMint5 boot screen will appear. Select Live Mode as shown below. and hit enter.

PepperMint3 will now boot to the screen shown below.

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Step C - Copying user data to the external USB drive

Click Menu and then click File Manager as shown below.

Click on the File Manger that opens, and then type CTRL+N to open a duplicate File Manger Window and arrange them side-by-side.

Use the left-hand file manager window to browse for and locate the files you want to copy. Select your external USB drive in the right-hand side file manager window. Now simple click & drag the files you want to copy from the left-hand window to the one on the right. In the example shown below, I am copying my Music folder to the external USB drive.

When you are done copying, close the file manger windows, and then select the Logout option from the Menu button. Now select Shutdown as shown below.

That's it - your data files are now safely copied to your external USB drive.

Regards,
Golden

Related Tutorials

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• How to Copy & Paste in Recovery Console on Windows 7 or Vista
• How to Create and Use a Linux Mint Mate USB Flash Drive to Recover your Files

 

[Golden]

Nope, that wouldn't work I'm afraid. Follow this tutorial to copy your critical files off if you like.

 

[RickyTee]

Thanks for your quick reply!
And how positive are you about that? Haha

Okay, so then let's say I had two usb's. A 1 GB and a 16 GB.
And I got the Peppermint3 onto the 1GB.
I could use the 16 to transfer right?

 

[Golden]

Correct

 

[RickyTee]

So after Step 2, this is what I get..
I ignored it and tried to use it on my laptop, but of course, it didn't work.
Any suggestions?

 

[Golden]

The green light in the lower right corner indicates that its OK.

What happened when you tried to boot via the USB? What error messages did you get?

 

[RickyTee]

Okay I started getting this after I tried using the USB..

 

[Golden]

Youre not booting from the USB. Enter the BIOS to set it such that the USB is first in the boot priority.

 

[RickyTee]

I do boot it from the USB.
I boot it up, press F12, and select the USB to boot it.
It says operating system load error and all this other crap and then gives me that screen.
Crap.

 

[Golden]

OK, re-run LILI, but in step 2, choose the Download option to download a fresh ISO of PepperMint3.

 

[RickyTee]

Am I right so far?
Auto or Manual?

EDIT: So I chose Auto and I was pretty sure I had gotten it all corrected.
Took about an hour to format everything and the web page opened up, but I'm still getting the "OS error, won't boot" message.
Even when I try to boot from the USB.
Could it be because it shows up as .9MB on the Linux?
But would it even start up if the size wasn't sufficient?

 

[Golden]

Am I right so far?
Auto or Manual?

EDIT: So I chose Auto and I was pretty sure I had gotten it all corrected.
Took about an hour to format everything and the web page opened up, but I'm still getting the "OS error, won't boot" message.
Even when I try to boot from the USB.
Could it be because it shows up as .9MB on the Linux?
But would it even start up if the size wasn't sufficient?

Did you use the format option to ensure the USB is formatted to FAT32?

 

[RickyTee]

I'm gonna go with.. yes?

 

[Golden]

Sorry it took so long to get back to you - did you manage to work it out?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hiyya Golden mate is this anything like Linux "Mint" or Ubuntu to use as I have both. The Ubuntu I use for dragging data off drives that are locked (for instance the login screen password is lost).

I have a Vista machine at the moment that is having a few issues and I was thinking maybe a boot to the Peppermint or my pair would be a better way to get that data as the thing is as SLOW as to boot.

 

[Golden]

John. It's very similar to Mint\Ubuntu - it's just a lightweight version of them.

 

[RickyTee]

No worries. Happy new year!
But sadly, no, I haven't managed to work it out.
Everytime I try to boot, I just get Operating System Load Error.
Hoping to god I haven't lost my files.

Any ideas?

 

[Golden]

Try downloading a different Linux distribution using lili and see if that works.

 

[RickyTee]

Which one should I use?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

John. It's very similar to Mint\Ubuntu - it's just a lightweight version of them.

Thanks Colin I sorta rough guessed it probably was but am going to give it a try

 

[Golden]

Which one should I use?

Try Debian Live 6.0.5 (KDE) - download it using the LILI interface