Backup data without windows

I believe there is a program called tech boot which runs off a cd.  One of my colleagues used it once and refused to give it to me to look at.  I wanted to kill him..... but I didn't.  it comes with usb drivers which let you copy to usb drive.  

Instead of looking for the program I would just get a version of windows xp, even a trial cd.  Install it and backup data and then restore away

Try Bart's PE.  You have to have a Windows CD to compile, but you can search the web and find a precompiled one.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

Here is the program.  

Sorry,

Should have explained better.  Bart's PE is a live bootable Windows CD.  You can compile you own version by running the program and adding programs to it, so you can have CD Burning functionality by adding a CD Burning program to you version.  The website explains better.

Here is a good free CD Burning utility if you don't have one. http://www.nonags.com/files/redirect/?http://hem.bredband.net/download1/setup.exe

Knoppix is another boot disc . . it is a linux operating system that includes cd burning software

http://www.knoppix.net/get.php

wrs

You could get a DOS boot disk with network support (www.bootdisk.com), boot from that and transfer the files over a network to another computer.

Another alternative, there is DOS support for USB external hard drives available in a program called "DUSE" that is published by Cypress Semidonductor.  It's free, and a web search will turn up the program and it's documentation.  It works with a lot of things, but not everything.  It would let you copy the hard drive to an external USB drive (or even a USB flash memory device).

There is no DOS support, as far as I know, for a CD burning program, but a preinstallation product, such as Bart's PE already mentioned by previous responders, is another possibility.  In any case, there are several ways to go, although I don't understand why you can't simply remove the hard drive, which in my mind would still be the easiest and best solution.

Use Knoppix, it has CD Composing software prebuilt into it.  
http://linuxiso.org  and you can download the newest version.   It's only about 60MB or so.   Another thing you can do is get a second hard drive, add it as a slave, use fdisk to partition it.  in dos, you should be able to copy C:\<whatever> to E:\<whatever>.   That will be pretty quick.

Forgive me simpswr, I didn't read your post before I added my $0.02.   Also, KNOPPIX is about 700MB to download.  So maybe that solution is out the window.  You can buy a CD and have it shipped to you for a nominal (few bucks) fee.

Hello experts,

I have found the knoppix software but it seems to be 700mb instead of 60 mb like BILJAX is saying. or am i donwloading the wrong file?
All i want to do is , is boot up with this cd, backup the data on the disk to cd and then format and reinstall xp.

Kind regards.
Steven

Ok i have downloaded the knoppix software, it seems like very ..... VERY COOOL.
it boots up, the only problem i have left is that i can't access my harddrive. Very probably because i run on S-ATA harddisk. Normally when i install windows XP i need to press F6 in the beginning of the installation and then insert the Sata driver floppy disk, for windows to recognize my hd. I have the disk, the question is, how do i get in in Knoppix so hel recognize my disk?

Kind regards
Steven

Can you boot to dos?  if you can boot to dos, you can use XCOPY or just COPY if you have another HD.   Also, have you tried inserting the Windows XP cd and trying to repair your install?

http://www.wown.com/j_helmig/wxprcons.htm

Biljax,

1) i do not have another HD.
2) Do you believe my S-ata harddisk will be recognized in dos???

i really like the knoppix program, only i need to give it some way the driver
disk for sata HD so he can recognize it. Would be great then i would be able
to burn cd's

Regards