Reinstall xp.BUT put ubuntu on it. If you split the drive (real ubuntu install) and provide a set of programs he can use to recover data from the drive. In fact, you could use udev / run a script so that when X external hard disk is plugged in it will attempt to mount the windows / data partition (if not already mounted) and run rdiff backup / rsync (incremental /...) on the files desired. (if you use rsync make sure to use the various options to ensure that it works with windows files resyncing (--modify-window=1 i think...).
Audacity is an ok editor, he might need a commercial / higher end solution tho. see (wiki) url for a list of general software: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_audio_software (this one, rosegarden might be of use). http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/ You could always try windows off a cd /usb apparently this is possible.... (i wouldn't do it unless you want to take an image of the infected windows drive...). Oh and you should scan the windows cd / hope it doesn't (if it is a 'un-official' disk) contain a trojan /backdoor. (using system internals process monitor you might be able to identify the malware if you cannot already). (clamav might be a good option too / clamwin (windows) http://www.clamwin.com/ ) 2009/6/9 Rob Farquhar <[email protected]>: > Hi, folks. I've not made any concrete progress on upgrading my Ubuntu > system yet; I want to dedicate a full weekend to it and we've been busy > with family stuff. > > In the meantime, though, I've started helping a friend with some > computer woes of his, and I'd like your advice and suggestions. > > My friend Dave isn't the most computer savvy of people yet; he's > definitely keen to learn. At the moment, he's been using a cracked > Windows XP system with a collection of semi-legit software. Just > recently, he's started turning his collection of vinyl LPs into sound > files with the aim of creating a digital library which he can use to > create mixes (I think he's keen on becoming a DJ). He's asked my advice > in the past and I've been meaning to sit down with him and sort out his > PC (we've even talked about putting Ubuntu on) but we both let it slide. > > Within the last couple of days, however, everything's gone pear-shaped > for Dave. From what I can tell, his system has been hijacked by a piece > of malicious software. His wallpaper has been replaced with a message > about how his data is now unsafe; he can no longer run apps or even > access Control Panel functions; Internet Explorer starts unbidden and > points itself at very shady URLs (ones that look like a jumble of > letters with .net afterwards). Thankfully, his wireless network card > which connects to his Internet router is buggered, or else I dread to > think what he'd be downloading / uploading. > > One way or another, it seems he's going to need to reformat his hard > drive. The problem is that in addition to his other personal files, he > has eighty-one gigabytes of music which he's gone to great pains to > import. I'd repartition his HDD, but thanks to the malware I can't > defragment his HDD under Windows as it stands, and I don't want to risk > those music files by getting Ubuntu to resize his Windows partition. > > We're looking at a shopping trip to buy an external hard drive this > weekend, which if he's serious about his music he'll probably need > anyway. In the meantime I've connected his PC to his router via a Cat5 > cable and left an Ubuntu LiveCD running 9.04 in his CD-ROM drive so he > can browse the Internet and IM, giving me some grace time to consider my > options. > > The main question is, which OS should I install? Now, I know this seems > a silly question to ask of an Ubuntu user group, but Dave's situation > and needs mean the answer isn't obvious (at least to me). The main > deciding factor is Dave's hobby. He's been using an version 3 of a > program called MAGIX Audio Cleaning to process the audio data from his > turntable and convert it into several digital formats. The most current > version, 15, appears to only be available on Windows, but it's cheap > enough that he can afford it. I have a spare legitimate WinXP disc and > key so he can get a legal system up and running, and can recommend > freeware antivirus and anti-malware products like Avast and Spybot > Search & Destroy, not to mention MailWasher. > > So is there a program of similar function to MAGIX that will run on > Ubuntu? If so, what other programs would Dave need to consider should he > get serious about mixing? How is Ubuntu overall with music creation / > manipulation? > > Are there any other options I could consider? Is there a program which > will allow me to defragment a Windows hard drive from a USB key? > > I'd appreciate any help you can provide! > > Cheers, > > Rob > > -- > ubuntu-au mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au > -- ubuntu-au mailing list [email protected] https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-au
