Windows XP, Home. Our computer is inoperable, but a new machine will be built this weekend. We did not finish off loading personal files from the hard drive onto a backup external before disaster struck. So, our problem: One. Our computer has been troubled for quite some time. The primary fault has been that within 5 minutes of booting it up it would blue screen. After rebooting, the problem would not reappear as long as one did not execute a complete shut down and restart. Other events have been a non-functioning Restore, the disappearance of Outlook and the refusal of a restoring folder, frequently stops responding for 1 to 5 minutes, and recently a loss of connectivity (hardwire) between the mouse and computer. Unplug/re-plug and it may work for 5 secs or five hrs. About 4 or 5 times a box stating that Windows successfully corrected or replaced a defective register has opened at the start of Windows. Pro analysis said defective motherboard component(s) at the root. Two. Recently installed a current edition of Bit Defender Anti-Virus. All OK.Three. Upon next start up received a box saying that windows had successfully repaired or replaced a defective registry file. OK, that went well.Four. Upon the next start, after the start up protocols and before the beginning of Windows, I received the Chkdsk diagnostic box. All went well but at the conclusion of phase three there appeared a listing of about 25 or thirty of what seemed to be program file names or designations, each with a notation of its having been repaired, replaced or simply removed.I think it was immediately after the conclusion of Chkdsk that the Windows sequence began with the screen that says Windows is starting up, and then it froze. No matter how long we wait, it never finishes starting up. We think there is a missing program instruction that prevents its moving on. End.We need to move My Documents, My Pictures, several personal folders, and a genealogy program off the hard drive and onto our external. (Have a copy of the gen app on disk, but not up to date.) My very amateur opinion and hope is that Chkdsk removed a required registry file for starting up-----and that our personal files are yet there waiting for something to unlock the door. We think there are three options.A. Put the original installation disk into the machine and hope that that which is missing will be replaced, allowing us access for a file movement. However, we have not for fear that any reinstall may erase our files and have therefore not even dared this.B. Have a data recovery firm open the hard drive up so we can copy to the external.C. Implement some quasi-magical solution that someone here may have at his/her disposal. Help! Thank you.1 person needs an answerI do too

The safest option would probably be to wait until the new machine has been built, tested, and stable, then add the drive from the old machine and copy the things you need off it. The more you use it now with the defective MB and/or the drive causing errors on the drive, the more likely it is that you will NOT be able to recover anything later on. I'd turn it off and just wait until the new machine is done. Unfortunately, magic, quasi- or otherwise, doesn't help with hardware problems :-)SC Tom-There's no such thing as TMI when asking for tech support.