I made a DOS boot disk and when I start my computer it works fine and I end up with an A:\> prompt. I need to look at my C:\ drive though, and when I type in CD C:\, it says invalid directory. What can I do?

The reason I'm asking is that I found this place on the net that claims microsoft keeps secret records of all the internet sites youve visited, and some of your emails, even after you erase ur history and cookies and what not. It's invisible unless you view it through MS-DOS though.

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you paranoid or something...

The reason you cannot see it with a MSDOS bootdis is because I am guessing the Windows OS you are using is XP (or 2k). This uses NTFS as its filesystem, a filesystem that is not viewable by DOS

yr bestbet is to get a free prog called CrapCleaner (Ccleaner) it will removed those "hidden" files.

there are ways to view them via in windows, you just gotta be good

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If I recall correctly to access a drive from dos you just type in the drive name followed by a colon. No CD (as in change directory).

Hence,

a:\> c:
c:\>

I don't want to doubt what you heard about Microsoft but most likely it's just propaganda. When you erase something from your HDD it does not instantly get erased. That particular cluster, infact, remains occupied until overwritten by new data. That is what makes recovery tools possible.

Either way, good luck.

 

There are hidden files that keep a copy of yr browsing history (only if you use IE tho).

but I really doubt he will be able to access C:\ since a MSDOS bootdisc can only access FAT## filesystems

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You are right about DOS not being able to access anything but FAT. I would not be that paranoid unless I worked for a government facility and viewed websites containing ways to bring down your own government.

That and watching [WORD CENSORED] while at work.

 

I'm not paranoid. I don't even use windows! I use linux, but its not because i'm paranoid, i just like it better. It's just got my curiousity
So what's the purpose of a boot disk for xp then?

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You could examine the contents of a disk with a disk editor utility. That is how I managed to recover a file.

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The boot disk for windows xp just loads the setup program from what I know. Afterwords you require your WinXP CD to either complete an install or run diagnostic tools to recover a bad setup.

Can the files only be viewed from MS-DOS? If yes, does the source mention what version of DOS? If the point of viewing the files in DOS is to be able to use a command line you can also boot form a Linux Rescue CD with ntfs capability and view those fies.

 

u shouldn't use "CD" for changing drives .. then there are hidden files . one is the index.dat in the temporary internet directory .. u can't delete it from windows ..may be an index file.
even if u clear the temporary internet files ..some files WILL retain in ur temp dir.
to view that have a FIND *.* in the temp internet directory .

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JLBShock

NTFS can be read by DOS if you download NTFSDOS from Sysinternal Freeware Website and put it on bootable DOS disk...

http://www.sysinternals.com/Files/NtfsDos.zip

 

I came across an utitlty... dont remember what it was... But it cannot read NTFS as natural dos files... You can view them and copy them.. to a FAT 16 or a FAT32 drive.

And again, Linux partions cannot be seen by DOS. FDISK shows it as unalloted and the windows file manager shows it as "unknown"

There is a MS DOS ISO that installs on FAT32... I Posted it on this forum log ago...
I uploaded it at megauploads or somewhere.. DOnt' know if the link is still alive...

I had to do so because the original site appears and disappears from time to time... I actually had downloaded half the ISO image and the site vanished... I completed the other part two months later when the site reappeared.

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JLBShock

Yes, I knew one of DOS ISO which it was ripped from MS Windows Me, the verison of DOS was 7.10. and still have ISO of DOS 7.10 sits somewhere on my other computer which it serves the data storage as backup through network server.

 

No doubt you found it here, but it's total rubbish, the artical is really outdated it's been totally debunked on the forum. If you do want to mess around with Windows without the OS running, you can use recovery console, DOS with an ntfs dirver (as already stated), or use a live CD like Bart PE or even better Knoppix which even has tools to help you partition or recover data from your hard disk.

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Yep thats where i got it hero, right in your signature
i have knoppix, actually kanotix, I installed to my HD and am using it as my OS, works great! no complaints, accept for some sound problems but they're not too bothersome. I have been thinking about exploring some of the other linuxes though.

What are these recovery tools that you're talking about?

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I mostly use Qparted and Captive ntfs, but in general I find it most handy for copying files from a broken Windows computer to a usb stick, there are many others but I haven't had the need to use them.

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