HD Crash - recovery options?

[PatBateman]

Storms apparently fried some part of my HD sometime this weekend. My computer (98 SE) will not boot up into Windows. Upon POST it says something like "S.M.A.R.T. HD status: BAD. Backup and Replace" So it will continue to try to boot up (I had the startup screen option turned on in msconfig) so if I try any option (safe mode, normal, etc..) it will show the windows screen with the scrolling blue bar at bottom going forever. Nothing happens. I CAN however get into the system via Command Prompt w/ Safe Mode option on the startup screen. As an aside, my HD has a Linux partition which will boot up just wonderfully normal.

I think I can get some small files copied via the DOS command line, but is there ANY way I can get into Windows proper? I realize this is not something easy to diagnose via a message board, but suggestions would be appreciated, as I have outlook email / contact info I'd like to retrieve as well as other info that I can only get by getting into the windows GUI.

Can I try to re-install windows without formatting the HD? I am open to any suggestions if anyone has dealt with this before. I havent, and its a gigantic pain in the butt. I know I should back up more often. Please tell me something. Anything.

 

[idigTexas]

Installing 98SE over the existing installation will allow you to get to the files, but none of your apps will work unless you reinstall them as well.

You do not need to get into the GUI to salvage your Outlook messages and contacts. It all lives in a .pst file. The trouble is going to be navigating to it from a command prompt. I don't have a 98 system handy to give you the correct path, but you should be able to look it up on Google. My best guess is C:windowsapplication datamicrosoftoutlookoutlook.pst or in DOSese, C:windowsapplic~1micros~1outlookoutlook.pst.

If I were in your situation, I would buy a new HD. HDs are relatively cheap, and you can increase your system performance and storage capacity buy going this route. The new drive is the master, the old drive is the slave. Install Windows on the new drive. You can salvage your old data at your leisure. This may screw up your ability to boot Linux without redoing it as well, so that may be a deal breaker for you.