Ubuntu Rebuild plus Music Importing and Mixing

[db]

Reinstall xp.BUT put ubuntu on it.
If you split the drive (real ubuntu install) and provide a set of
programs he can use to recover data from the drive. In fact, you could
use udev / run a script so that when X external hard disk is plugged
in it will attempt to mount the windows / data partition (if not
already mounted) and run rdiff backup / rsync (incremental /...) on
the files desired.  (if you use rsync make sure to use the various
options to ensure that it works with windows files resyncing
(--modify-window=1 i think...).

Audacity is an ok editor, he might need a commercial / higher end solution tho.

see (wiki) url for a list of general software:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Linux_audio_software

(this one, rosegarden might be of use).
http://www.rosegardenmusic.com/


You could always try windows off a cd /usb apparently this is
possible.... (i wouldn't do it unless you want to take an image of the
infected windows drive...).

Oh and you should scan the windows cd / hope it doesn't (if it is a
'un-official' disk) contain a trojan /backdoor. (using system
internals process monitor you might be able to identify the malware if
you cannot already). (clamav might be a good option too / clamwin
(windows) http://www.clamwin.com/ )

2009/6/9 Rob Farquhar <imagines at bigpond.net.au>:
> Hi, folks. I've not made any concrete progress on upgrading my Ubuntu
> system yet; I want to dedicate a full weekend to it and we've been busy
> with family stuff.
>
> In the meantime, though, I've started helping a friend with some
> computer woes of his, and I'd like your advice and suggestions.
>
> My friend Dave isn't the most computer savvy of people yet; he's
> definitely keen to learn. At the moment, he's been using a cracked
> Windows XP system with a collection of semi-legit software. Just
> recently, he's started turning his collection of vinyl LPs into sound
> files with the aim of creating a digital library which he can use to
> create mixes (I think he's keen on becoming a DJ). He's asked my advice
> in the past and I've been meaning to sit down with him and sort out his
> PC (we've even talked about putting Ubuntu on) but we both let it slide.
>
> Within the last couple of days, however, everything's gone pear-shaped
> for Dave. From what I can tell, his system has been hijacked by a piece
> of malicious software. His wallpaper has been replaced with a message
> about how his data is now unsafe; he can no longer run apps or even
> access Control Panel functions; Internet Explorer starts unbidden and
> points itself at very shady URLs (ones that look like a jumble of
> letters with .net afterwards). Thankfully, his wireless network card
> which connects to his Internet router is buggered, or else I dread to
> think what he'd be downloading / uploading.
>
> One way or another, it seems he's going to need to reformat his hard
> drive. The problem is that in addition to his other personal files, he
> has eighty-one gigabytes of music which he's gone to great pains to
> import. I'd repartition his HDD, but thanks to the malware I can't
> defragment his HDD under Windows as it stands, and I don't want to risk
> those music files by getting Ubuntu to resize his Windows partition.
>
> We're looking at a shopping trip to buy an external hard drive this
> weekend, which if he's serious about his music he'll probably need
> anyway. In the meantime I've connected his PC to his router via a Cat5
> cable and left an Ubuntu LiveCD running 9.04 in his CD-ROM drive so he
> can browse the Internet and IM, giving me some grace time to consider my
> options.
>
> The main question is, which OS should I install? Now, I know this seems
> a silly question to ask of an Ubuntu user group, but Dave's situation
> and needs mean the answer isn't obvious (at least to me).  The main
> deciding factor is Dave's hobby. He's been using an version 3 of a
> program called MAGIX Audio Cleaning to process the audio data from his
> turntable and convert it into several digital formats. The most current
> version, 15, appears to only be available on Windows, but it's cheap
> enough that he can afford it. I have a spare legitimate WinXP disc and
> key so he can get a legal system up and running, and can recommend
> freeware antivirus and anti-malware products like Avast and Spybot
> Search & Destroy, not to mention MailWasher.
>
> So is there a program of similar function to MAGIX that will run on
> Ubuntu? If so, what other programs would Dave need to consider should he
> get serious about mixing? How is Ubuntu overall with music creation /
> manipulation?
>
> Are there any other options I could consider? Is there a program which
> will allow me to defragment a Windows hard drive from a USB key?
>
> I'd appreciate any help you can provide!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Rob
>
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