Quote Originally Posted by fmayjmd
My problem same as Worf. I've tried the following:-
1) Boot using XP disk, run the console recovery and run the fixmbr ... failed.
2) Tried to copy out the files (excel, word and pic files)...failed

FYI, my second hd is detected by BIOS but not in My Computer. If I boot up the PC with the problem hd attached as 2nd hd, the error message "Third Slave Disk Error" will displayed. Then I need to press F4 to by pass it and the Windows XP will launch from my 1st hd.

PLEASE... Anyone can help me to recover all my pictures (contains all my wife and kids pictures since beginning) and files.

Thanks in advance.
Do you have a disk enclosure? For example an external hard disk enclosure?

If so, put the problematic hard disk into the enclosure, then boot the pc with a good hard disk with XP loaded.

Plug in the enclosure and see if your computer can read it. If so, copy all the files you want onto another media (DVD, empty hard disk, CDRs...)

THen format the drive and start over.

If you don't have a hard disk enclosure, try booting with the XP cd, instead of running the console recovery, try doing a repair installation on the hard disk.

http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

You can view how to do that at the site linked above.

If none of that works, post back in this thread and i will try to think of something else.

One question about the third slave device error, do you have the 2nd hard disk as a slave or master when you booted it?