Verified answer

I'll give you the fastest way to retrieve your data....

You need a Linux boot disk... any will do... Here is one: http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

After you download.. burn it to a DVD so it will create a boot disk for you....

You are NOT going to install anything... you just want to select Preview or boot off disk... after you do that... you will have a Ubuntu desktop... then just go to computer... and browse your hard drive.. and copy all your files onto a USB Flash Drive... and you're set...

Another option would be to find a Boot Disk File Manager.... with the same basic idea.. you need a disk you can boot from to create an alternative desktop environment...so you can access your folders and copy your data...

Your final option would be to reinstall Windows but using the Upgrade Option... If you do this, Windows will keep everything... but move your C Drive into a folder called Windows.OLD ... then after the new install of windows is done.. you can browse to that location and copy over all your data files...

There... how was that????

You can remove the hard drive and connect it to another computer - either by the internal wiring or by putting it in a caddy so it becomes an external drive to another PC

You will need to attach to a different PC to us as either a slave drive or external hdd.