Help2go has some useful information about why every windows user needs a linux live cd. First, you need it if you need information out of your computer and windows seems to have a problem starting or behaves abnormaly just in the moment you need it most.
The rescue comes in form of a free linux live cd which boots from cd and normally does not change a thing on your hard drives. You will have lots of handy tools at your disposal, email, browser, word processing to name a few.
You can then finish your work using the linux tools and fix the windows problem later on (probably a reinstallation anyway). Simply download one of the free iso files mentionied in the article of help2go and burn it to a cd. Make sure you check it out before the first problem occurs.
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