KNOPPIX is a bootable Live system on CD or DVD, consisting of a representative collection of GNU/Linux software, automatic hardware detection, and support for many graphics cards, sound cards, SCSI and USB devices and other peripherals.

Knoppix is one of the oldest tools I have used since I started working on computers.  It has been around for some time now and has always been a reliable tool for system recovery and troubleshooting. To break it down, Knoppix is a Linux distribution meant to be run right off of the CD and includes multiple utilities which make it possible for anyone to do file restoration or maintenance.  You load Knoppix into the CD drive, boot to the CD, it will then load Knoppix into a “Windows” like environment where you can load your main hard drive and browse it without actually running Windows.

Knoppix is loaded with over nine hundred software packages, and can run in as little as 96MB of RAM (32MB in text only mode).  Knoppix includes network and security analysis tools, utilities for data recovery, maintenance tools, and it even includes Gimp (image editor) and OpenOffice.  Knoppix can be installed to the hard drive for use as a production workstation, if interested.

KDE is the window manager used in Knoppix, the layout is similar to Windows.  KDE has a start menu style menu system which helps with the transition.

It takes some getting use to, so I would play around with it before you try to rely on it to fix things.  This can be used to repair more than just Windows systems, but since 99% of maintenance by a technician is done on Windows I have written it up that way.  Knoppix is a good tool to have around when you need to get into a workstation that will not boot.