[Macboatmaster]

Please do not worry about it.
Happyrock meant DO NOT QUOTE the previous post ie: your post 29 - before your post 30.
We normally only quote, from a previous post, in the actual post, being made at that time, to highlight something.

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Thanks. Both methods look for trying to access my data look complicated to me.. if I try the UBCD method, can I convert the iso so I can save it on a CD using the same program I used to convert the recovery console iso to cd the other night? And if it works on the affected computer will I be able to save my files/pictures on a writeable CD on the affected computer? Thanks.

[RT3]

Thanks. Both methods look for trying to access my data look complicated to me.. if I try the UBCD method, can I convert the iso so I can save it on a CD using the same program I used to convert the recovery console iso to cd the other night? And if it works on the affected computer will I be able to save my files/pictures on a writeable CD on the affected computer? Thanks.

[Macboatmaster]

Yes, as per the page of the download I sent you on POst 6. You use the same programme I sent you for the Recovery Console ISO.

[happyrock]

normally if chkdsk /r finds and fixes errors it should be run as many times as necessary until it finds and fixes nothing except a few index errors (4 or5)
depending on how much data you don't have backed up and their importance to you...then by all means try to get backups just in case the drive is not going to live much longer...
remember this...any data that you don't have at least 2 copies of is data you really don't care about

[RT3]

Attempting to backup my documents / pictures by way of slave or UBCD is beyond my skill level... I'd probably make a bad situation worse. I will be taking the cpu to a local computer repair shop as soon as I have researched a bit and found one that looks reputable and knowledgable. Thank you both very much for your assistance in helping me try to troubleshoot. I will post with results.

[Macboatmaster]

Good luck with it.
It actually is not that difficult. Your easiest course of action is to take the drive out of this computer and place it in a hard drive enclosure, these can be bought for just about £10. This attaches to the other computer by usb cable.
You then switch on the other computer as normal and it will find that drive as an external drive, in My computer. You then copy your files and folders to either the drive in the other computer, by creating a new folder in say C Drive Documents OR you copy to a USB flash pen OR you burn to a DVD/CD.
You then, having saved everything possible by way of your documents, photos and music, your Internet explorer favourites etc, either establish that the drive is failing and therefore buy a new hard drive, you can get a 160Gb Western Digital for about £35, put it in your computer, load the motherboard drivers and then install Windows and transfer back your saved files, copying them first, until you know they are definitely all back and then you can delete them from the computer in which you slaved the drive, if you saved them to that computer.
It will certainly work out a lot cheaper than paying for it and you will then have the confidence to tackle jobs in the future.
I can assure you that you will get the help you need on this site.
However what ever you decide - good luck.

[123Runner]

I know the decision is yours to get the computer repaired the way you want, but.....

I would buy a USB enclosure with a hard drive. This can be used now for saving your data, and then also after the fact for backing up your data on a regular basis.
I would boot the computer using UBCD and go to Easeus Disk Copy.
Easeus Disk copy is a real easy program to use.
It will make a copy of your bad disk that you will be able to access later for your data. Or take the enclosure to your office to look at and be sure you have everything.

Then we can continue to work on the issues on the computer.

[RT3]

I took the computer to a repair shop that was recommended... the hard disk was bad and data was unrecoverable. They are not charging for the diagnosis. Said they can refer to a place that has more capability to try to recover data on hard drive (clean room, spin the hard disk faster, etc)I will probably just "destroy" hard drive or whatever needed so data cannot be accessed... now just deciding whether have hard drive replaced ($225) or just buy new computer (it is 6 or 7 years old) Have learned a valuable lesson regarding backing up date) Thanks to all for your assistance, it is sincerely appreciated.

[happyrock]

now just deciding whether have hard drive replaced ($225)

how large is the drive your replacing..

[RT3]

CPU: AMD Athlon™ XP 3200+ Processor
QuantiSpeed™ Architecture operates at 2.200GHz
512KB L2 cache & 400MHz FSB
Memory: 512MB DDR (PC 2700)
Hard Drive: 160GB HDD (7200rpm)
$225 was out the door price. I just took the hard disk so I can destroy it. The data is not that important to spend the $ to take it to a specialist to retrieve data...not sure it would work anyway...when it crashed it was making some clicking noise. Computer was 6 years old, so I am going to just get a new comparable computer - emachines EL1352-01e. I know computer enthusiasts consider it inferior, but the last one lasted 6 years and served me well. I'm not a gamer, just use it for internet, email, word processing and occasional excel. Thanks.

[happyrock]

your welcome...and thanks for letting us know...