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Data Recovery for Windows Cloud Servers/VPS Using Knoppix

For Windows Cloud Servers and VPS

If you boot your server normally, your partitions will be automatically mounted on startup so that you have access to the files. If you boot a server with the Knoppix DVD, the partitions are not automatically mounted.

In this article, we'll show you how to boot a server using the Knoppix DVD and mount the partitions so that you can access the data via SSH or SFTP.

Please Note

Before you mount the partitions or make any changes to the configuration of your server, we recommend that you take a snapshot for your Cloud Server. A snapshot is a temporary backup that is automatically deleted after three days. To create a snapshot, select the appropriate Cloud Server in the Cloud Panel. Then, click Actions > Create Snapshot.

  • Select the relevant server in the Infrastructure > Servers section of the Cloud Panel.

  • Click on DVD Drive.

  • Select the Knoppix DVD in the Applications tab.

  • Click Load DVD and wait until the status indicator reaches 100% and turns green.

  • Click Actions > Restart.

  • Select the Software restart method and click Yes. The server will restart. Wait until the status display reaches 100% and turns green.

  • Click Actions > Access KVM Console. The KVM Console opens in a new tab.

Note

If you see a screen saver, simply click in the display area to stop it.

  • Click on the Terminator icon in the taskbar.

  • To obtain administrator rights, enter the following command:

    knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ su

  • To set a password for the root user, type the following command:

    root@Microknoppix:/home/knoppix# passwd

  • Enter the desired password and repeat it. We recommend using the initial password set for your server found in the Cloud Panel.

  • To enable external access, run the following command:

    root@Microknoppix:/home/knoppix# sudo service ssh --full-restart

  • To create a directory that will function as the mounting point for the Windows file system, enter the following command:

    root@Microknoppix:/home/knoppix# mkdir /mnt/old

  • Next, you will need to check for and fix issues with the Windows file system. Run the following command in the terminal:

    • root@Microknoppix:/home/knoppix# ntfsfix /dev/sda2

  • To mount the partition, run the following command:

    root@Microknoppix:/home/knoppix# mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/old

Login Details

Once the file system is mounted, you can use the following credentials to access the file system using an SSH or SFTP connection:

Host: Server IP
User: root
Password: (Password you set in Steps 10-11 above)
Port: 22
File system path: /mnt/old

Create a Backup of Your Data

To avoid data loss, you should always make a backup of your data before you repair the file system or check the configuration of the server. You can save the backup either on your local computer or on another server.

Saving a Backup with WinSCP on a Local Computer

If you use a local computer with Windows, you can transfer the files quickly and easily using the WinSCP program. WinSCP is a graphical, open-source SFTP and FTP client for Windows.

You can download WinSCP from the following URL:

https://winscp.net/eng/download.php

Requirements

  • You booted the server using the Knoppix DVD.

  • You have activated SSH access.

  • You have installed WinSCP on your computer.

  • Start WinSCP. The Login window opens

  • Enter the IP address of the server in the Host name field.

  • In the Username field, enter the user name root.

  • Enter the corresponding password in the Password field.

  • Click Log in. The following message is displayed: Should the connection continue and the computer key be stored in memory?

  • Click on Yes. The connection to the server is established. The area on the left displays the directories that are on your client. The area on the right displays the directories that are on your server.

  • Create a folder on your local computer. Then, select the desired files and directories on your server and copy them to the desired directory on your local computer using drag & drop.

Saving a Backup on Another Server

Requirements:

  • You have booted the server using the Knoppix DVD.

  • You have opened the KVM console.

  • You have activated SSH access.

  • If it is not already open, click on Terminator icon in the taskbar.

  • To copy the directory you want to back up to a specific directory that is on a different server, type the command below and replace the specified variables:

    knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo scp -r /Path USERNAME@IP ADDRESS:/PATH

    In the following example, the files mounted in the /mnt/old directory are sent to the server with the IP address 82.165.888.999 and stored in the /opt/backup directory:

    knoppix@Microknoppix:~$ sudo scp -r /mnt/old root@82.165.888.999:/opt/backup

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