or there is the newer Ubuntu Live CD.

Download it, and burn it to CD as an ISO. Insert it into the CD drive, and boot up. It should load as an OS from the CD and allow you to search the drive for all her private files.

However if you can get to the Safe Mode options, did you try "Last known good configuration"? Or the Command Prompt option so you can log in to her Admin account and use System Restore? (More about the System Restore option here; http://support.microsoft.com/kb/304449 ).

If everything fails, then a complete reinstall after saving those files seems the only way.

Mark