currupt maxtor hard drive

Much more info needed. What do you mean by corrupted, are you getting a report of bad sectors, or bad clusters? Do you just hear a grinding noise when you turn on your system. Do you get a no OS found, or corrupted MBR error messages on boot? First determine if it is a hardware issue, or software. If your not sure, just post back all the info you can, and I'm sure it can be reduced to your error. The answer, if there is one, will completely depend on the kind of "corruption" your having.

its NTFS file system

DTIDATA.COM has a utility (Recover It All for Windows) that will allow you to recover anything from a hard drive as long as it can spin up. I've had some decent success with this util.

If you come across difficulty mounting the disk in the first place, try sticking it in a plastic bag and then in the freezer for about 10 min or so. I know that one sounds bizzare, but it seems to be one of the best-kept secrets in the PC HW tech field.

These should only be tryed if the drive is not spinning!!!

I have had great success with Get Data Back from the following website.

http://www.runtime.org/

Beware of posts telling you how to do data recovery! Drives can be very sensitive and further damage can be done if you go too far with some of the suggestions that I have read here.

I have worked with Maxtor drives, and the symptom you describe tells me the drive is most likely on the virge of failure (even though the diagnostics you ran showed it to be good).

This is a perfect time to prevent further loss of the data. I am currently working with a similar Maxtor 60gb drive that passes all the tests, but when you attempt to actually use it, it locks up or gives an error. What is happening is that when the OS tries to load files/read from the drive but it times out before the data is successfully read, whereas the diagnostics gives more read re-tries that allow it to pass.

I am able to image the drive to a good drive and the data is then fully accessible and often fully functional when placed back into the PC, or I can burn your data to CD/DVD and the revive the old hard drive (sometimes with a "low level" format).

You can get more info from me by calling toll free at 1-877-872-7381 or email at service@commoncomputers-nospam.com (remove the -nospam to use this email).

Drive to find a copy of Drive Pro. The friend I used to know has a copy. He obtained it from the U.S.

He can fix corrupted hard drives easily with that utility.

A Good Way to retrieve a hard drive is the following method. At least "This has been my experience", I've used it often.
1: Goto Maxtor.com and download MAXTOR MAXBLASTER for Dos and/or Windows.
2; Take your Hard Drive off and set in up as a "slave drive". Put in on another system, possibly a friends "IT MUST ALSO HAVE A MAXTOR DRIVE.",or it will want to "OVERLAY" DON"T DO IT!!
3; His system, being Maxtor,"should" recognize it as just another Hard Drive.
This put's you in the position of being able to transfer all your files to your friend computer into a folder in your name.
4;Take out your hard drive again and set it up as a MASTER and then place back in his computer as the Second Primay IDE.It should read it as as Second drive. {This may foul up you friend's drive letter order,} but it's only temporary.Once you're out, he'll restart and come back to normal.
5; Then Install the MAXBLASTER for Windowns into your friend's Computer and completely reformat and partition your hard Drive.I strongly advise Partitions.Make sure that it's set to a "Bootable Drive" Fat32,not a an add on.The maxblaster should recognize your Hard Drive but just in case, it's a good idea to have all the information written down before you start. ie; Model number,capacity etc.
6; Re-install your hard Drive into your own Computer and then Re-install your Own Windows Program.
This then, is the Basis of your hard drive.
You will have not only formatted and partitioned your drive but will also have restructed the Hard drive directory itself, thus setting it up as a new one.
Next;
7; Put it back in your friend's Computer as a Slave again and copy back all your files.
8; The only other alternative is that you simply get the Maxblaster, put it your own computer and do a complete reformat and setup all from your own Computer. Of course then, you lose everything and start new.
It's up to you.
No question that this is a long, tiresome and tedious method but it's the one that has always best for me.
Good things don't always come easy.
Good Luck
Aaron A Baker

Is it possible that you're setting you're byte ratio read too small. It can be set at 1024,2048, etc.
IS it possible that the read isn't big enough to take in all the info required for a start up?
Although you state you haven't formatted or re-sectioned the possiblilty, however remote may still exist. But I'm not sure that there is a better way to do anything if the Drive in on the verge. The main thing is then, to get your programs off there asap. The best way for me is still to put it on another computer as a slave and copy everything over. Then at least you have your data.
Good Luck.
PS
I just LOVE the Freezer Drop.

You should try inserting your windows setup and run a chkdsk and see if it will work , also a good bootable recovery disk is Hiren's .
From now one to avoid any loose of your data you should use http://www.dmailer.com/dmailer-backup.html to backup your data ( the software is free ) and store it only on their servers.