From corrupt partition tables to severely infected machines, Linux tools come in handy when the host system won’t boot. So here are a list of some of the most common tools used that might be useful to you:

1: Knoppix

Knoppix is one of the better tools for rescuing data from sick machines. It’s a full-blown live Linux distribution with a strong, user-friendly GUI that will allow you to easily mount a drive and then copy the data to an external source. Knoppix comes with the full arsenal of Linux commands, which place just about everything you need at your fingertips.

2: SystemRescueCd

SystemRescueCd is another live Linux rescue CD that offers numerous tools to handle numerous tasks, including partition manipulation, file recovery, hard disk testing, ftp, and disk formatting. You can place this on CD or USB stick.

3: Ubuntu Rescue Remix

Ubuntu Rescue Remix it includes an outstanding GUI that can help you handle tasks other tools can’t handle. You can recover and rescue Mac files/filesystems, recover data from nonstandard external drives, recover deleted files, and more. The one thing URR is missing is antivirus tools.

4: F-Secure Rescue CD

F-Secure Rescue CD is based on Knoppix and allows you to check the integrity of your installed applications. It also allows advanced data repair and recovery, as well as recovery malware.

5: Linux rescue mode

This is the only entry on the list that isn’t a downloadable tool. Linux rescue mode is a mode booted with the help of a Linux boot CD, allowing you to repair a broken system. From rescue mode, you can recover a root password, repair or reinstall the boot loader, and more. When you boot into rescue mode, it will typically mount your installed system into /mnt/sysimage, where you can take care of any business necessary.