"What can I do?"
1. Get a good hard disk and get the machine working again.
2. Attach that old drive to the second IDE controller all on its own and see if you can copy off your files.
3. If you want to try backup before you remove the drive, read http://tips.oncomputers.info/archives2004/0401/2004-Jan-11.htm about how to boot a KNOPPIX and backup without touching that drive.
Bob
I am in the midst of a hard disk failure on my other computer and would like some advice before I do something stupid. I am using Windows XP Home.
The initial problem occured when I was working on a Word (2002)document and using Outlook 2002. When I tried to cut and paste from one doc to another, I entered a problem: hour glass going on forever, and difficult to even access the windows Task Manager. I started saving and closing down programs but eventually could not. I did a hard shutdown.
I was able to boot up but when I did a Norton System Doctor repair, it took forever and found number broken links. When I finished I could open Outlook (couldn't find my Outlook.pst).
When I rebooted, I got the message: SMART Failure Predicted. Hard disk failure might be imminent.
Then \Windows\sustem32\config\system might be corrupt or missing.
I was instructed to put in my Windows Setup disk and tried repair. It asked which windows to start up, and there was only one choice: C:\windows. That didn't work, so I ran chkdsk from the C prompt. When it got to 15% finished, it indicated I had one or more unrecoverable errors.
What can I do?

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