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