What is Linux

Linux – the operating system for a GNU (pronounced Gnew) generation. It has been dubbed the alternative to Microsoft, the solution to all life’s problems and many other things that may or may not be true. Bu what is Linux, and should you care?

To answer the first question, it’s a free operating system that looks and acts very much like Unix. You can download it off the Net for free, or you can copy it legally from a friend – although this might take all the fun out of using that CD-Writer you’ve got and never use for anything, except to brag about it to your friends.

Alternatively, you can buy it nicely packaged from an Internet store and get it delivered with a book about Linux, (Linux Unleashed).

Distributors charge not for the operating system itself, but for their time in packaging and presenting it. Two popular flavors of Linux are Free BSD and Ubuntu. These offer the same basic systems with a few slight differences that can lead to long and entertaining godly wars between supporters of each.

If you’re getting into Linux for the first time, Ubuntu is a good bet. You can either go for Ubuntu Desktop which comes with a GUI, or you can opt for Ubuntu Server if you planning to host websites of your own. The server edition has no GUI, but you can install KDE or Gnome to make your life easier. Most of your configuration will be done via the Terminal and you will have to learn a lot of Linux commands.

Linux is more complicated, and it depends on the kind of person you are. If you’re the type of computer user who wants every application to run straight out of the box and your system to just do what it’s told and run your games, then stick with Windows. But if you’re a pioneering soul who wants to find out more about your system and tweak it to perform to the max, then Linux is definitely worth a try.

If you want rock-solid Internet access, if you want to support the development of free software and more efficient solutions, or if you’re just the type of person who needs control over every aspect of your life including how your machine performs, then you’re definitely a Linux candidate. Linux is perfectly suited to students, developers and just about anyone who wants to try something other than the norm. Newcomers will find support straight off the Internet from thousands of kindred spirits.

It’s worth a try – maybe you’ll discover a Whole New World of fun and adventure. Or maybe you’ll just take it straight off your machine and go back to Windows. However, if you planning to try it out, then load it on that old machine that’s just lying around in the basement. You don’t need powerful processors and hardware – the most important component is memory. If you have 512mb and a 20gig hard drive then you should be OK. You should be able to run all your applications including your websites with ease. Remember, you will need a permanent connection to the Internet if you going to host your own websites. The best part is that you don’t need any antivirus and antispyware software if you’re running Linux. Every would-be-virus-writer out there has only one target in mind – Microsoft Windows.

Whether you stick with Linux or not, you’ll have come out of your safety zone and taken a trip to the cutting edge of computer technology.

Linux Data Recovery Using ‘myrescue’ Utility

In Linux operating system, myrescue is an utility to retrieve still-readable information from damaged hard drive. This Linux Data Recovery tool is similar to the dd_rescue, however it attempts to quickly get out of corrupted area to handle undamaged part first. After extracting data from the undamaged area, the utility then returns to the damaged area and tries to fix it.

The myrescue utility attempts to copy your hard drive block-wise to the file and creates a block bitmap (table) remarking whether the block is successfully copied, not handled yet or it has errors. The block bitmap or table can be employed in the successive runs for concentrating on unresolved blocks.

This Data Recovery Linux utility effectively handles the read errors, through its special skip way. General the hard drive surface blemishes cover more than simply one data block and uninterrupted reading data from the defected areas may damage the hard drive surface, the hard drive mechanisms, and read/write heads.

When it occurs, the possibilities of retrieving the remaining and undamaged data decreased dramatically. Therefore in the skip mode of myrescue, it attempts to escape the damaged area quickly by exponentially incrementing the step size. It marks the skipped blocks as un-handled in block bitmap table and they may be retrieved at later stage.

Ultimately, the utility has an advanced option to multiply attempt for reading data from a data block, before believing it is damaged.

However, you should bear in mind that this utility is not a replacement for third-party data recovery utilities. When you have a second option, do not even try to use myrescue, as the tool may cause more damage to your hard drive.

The myrescue utility is available only for the situation that you’re completely desperate and cannot afford any professional Linux Recovery utility. If your data is highly significant for your business, it is worth to go for professional recovery applications.

The Linux Data Recovery softwares are able to handle all types of data loss situations, ranging from simple deletion to the most severe file system corruption. These applications carry out in-depth scan of entire Linux hard drive and extract all lost, missing and inaccessible data from it. It comes equipped with simple and efficient GUI, to allow you to carry out Do It Yourself recovery.

Stellar Phoenix Linux Data Recovery is the most familiar and powerful program that ensures absolute recovery of all your lost data. The software recovers data from Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, FAT12, FAT16, and FAT 32 file system volumes. It is compatible with all major distributions of Linux operating systems including SUSE, Debian, Red Hat, and Fedora.