Linux live USB: mount disks, copy data, and check filesystems

Full NLCRC guide for recovering data with a Linux live USB when Windows will not boot. Boot - Use Ubuntu or Fedora live media; enable USB boot in UEFI. - If the disk is BitLocker-encrypted, you need the recovery key / dislocker — Linux alone will not magically open it. Mount and copy 1) lsblk -f to identify partitions. 2) Mount read-only when possible: mount -o ro /dev/nvme0n1p3 /mnt 3) Copy user data to an external disk with rsync -aP. Filesystem checks - ntfsfix / fsck.ext4 only when you understand the risk; prefer imaging first on failing disks. - Smartctl -a for SMART overview when the drive still talks. Hand back a clear note: what was copied, what failed, and SMART summary.