The tick-tick-tick sound is a typical failed drive. Data recovery is usually under 1000 dollars at the usual Drive Savers or Ontrack and is only considered when backup is non-existant or files must be retrieved.
Back of what you can't lose has never been cheaper. DVD recorders are now under 100 bucks and you go over 4GB on on disk. Most of us can put our pictures and files on just a few of these.
In closing, it's not a virus issue, but just one of learning that hard disks are temporary storage. They can last about 5 years.
Bob
Suddenly HD would not boot... goes "tick, tick, tick" trying; then I get a message that I must boot with a CD. I replaced the 14 month old 80 GB Western Digital HD... reloaded XP Pro and my computer is up and running. But I lost all data on the original HD...
I am wondering if the problem could be only a virus that I might be able to correct somehow? Or since it sounds like an electro-mechanical problem, do I just have to send the HD off to a data recovery company at some terrific expense?
Yep, I am intent upon being more careful to back up data from now on.

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