hard drive crash??

Presumming you have data on the drive, you could try re-installing Windows. Do not let the installation format the drive. If Windows installs properly you should be able to get up and running. I have had this occur and it is not always the hard drive.

This sounds more like a virus issue than anything hardware. We had a bunch of machines that were doing the same thing (Win2K also). Turned out to be one of the viruses that came out last summer, Winsgr32 or something like that. These virii were very difficult to remove, had to be done either from safe mode or when booted from a BART PE or UBCD CD and virus scan run from there. Symantec corporate would identify but not remove or quarantine the virus.

Only the Obvious have you run the Makers Test Utility over the Drive?

If it comes up as OK slave it to another computer and then scan it as a [b]Slave.[/b] What you have to get away from is having Windows running which could be affected by the infection. It very likely could be that the HDD is working Perfectly but that Windows is corrupted and it then looks as if the HDD is in some way responsible.

Col

Try this. Install it in another computer as a slave. See i foyu can read the disk. If you cannot read it it is probably shot. If you can REAd it copy the data you need off. Try to reimage or reformat (your choice) and see if it will boot. If it will not replace it.

Moving a system drive from one computer to the next will hose your OS. The systems must be based on the same chipset in order for you to be able to do this.

There are instances where it may work, but in my experience, rule of thumb, don't move an NTFS system drive to a new system.

Nowadays, if you change your hard drive configuration, Windows will require you to re-activate.

I have an XP Pro system with SATA Raid (mirror) installed. I have two IDE drives as data drives. I disconnected one of the data drives to make it an external portable and XP detected a major hardware change and required me to re-activate within 3 days.

Move it to a new motherboard and kiss your OS goodbye.

If you need your data, install 2000 on a different drive, then add the original system drive as a slave on the primary or as a master or slave on the secondary, then take ownership of the entire drive, then copy what you need from one drive to the next.