PC laptop and 'disk read error'
 

I have a friends laptop, wont boot up, says 'disk read error'.
I have a CD with a load of boot tool on it and most wont allow me to view the contents of the HD except one partition recovery tool but this locks up when looking through the file system BUT it does scan a whole load of her docs & settings folders so the disk is still readable (just)

Does anyone have any suggestions of what tools I might try to recover this disk, I only want to access some of the files.

Now would not be the time to point out back up strategies!
Her only backup CD is apparently scratched :cuckoo:

Thanks Rich

You could try getting hold of a 3.5" disk caddy and popping the disk into that. Then connect the disk caddy to another PC via USB or Firewire and try and read the disk as a slave disk. Saw some 3.5" HDD caddys at a computer fair for £5.

Find out the make of the HD drive and go to the manufacturers website. Most provide diagnostic and basic repair tools which you download to a bootable floppy disc. Which is usually enough to kick the drive backinto action if it is still salvagable.

i would say the hds gone try to connect the hd to another computer and transfer as much info off as possible