Documentation for LiveCD distributions (like Knoppix, Grml,
etc). Many of these LiveCD distributions have rescue tools for
things like resizing ntfs partitions, recovering ide disk
data and so on.

1. SystemRescueCD

    iso image: systemrescuecd-x86-0.2.15.iso
    url: www.sysresccd.org

    Gentoo linux based LiveCD, includes network support and
    non-destructive nfts resize using QParted. Start the resizer
    with "run_qtparted" from the command prompt after boot.

    If the kernel doesn't load, then try booting with the
    "nodetect" option and without a network "nonet". The
    image names are "fbxxx" where xxx is resolution (fb
    is the framebuffer support, required for graphical
    tools like QParted). E.g., from the boot loader prompt:

    boot: fb640 nodetect nonet

    This particular distribution has a bunch of other bootable
    environment like:

        a) FreeDOS (dos shell to run native dos apps)
        b) ntpass (editor for editing XP passwd files)
        c) aida (hardware diagnostics)

2. Knoppix
iso image:
url: www.knopper.net

    Knoppix is a debian based distribution that has auto conf
    for devices and network support. It also includes tools
    for resizing nfts partitions using QParted, but it's software 
    for nfts support is supposedly reall old (as at knoppix 3.7).

    Knoppix as all the usual linux apps, including openoffice
    and I think it has the ability to make user data persistent via 
    another device (floppy, usb flash, etc) although I've not tried 
    this.

    Knoppix 3.7 would not boot on the sony vaio pcg-grt 25 (nvidia
    geforce4 mx generic, matshita uj-810 ide/atapi cd, 
    Hitachi DK23EA-40 ATA 40gb disk drive