The error message of "cannot read disk: Failure" when starting your PC, may seem a bit final, and like its just sounded the bell of death for your beloved machine. BUT... it needent be!
This error does not necessarily mean the hard drive is screwed beyong beleif. Here's how to resolve it:
1. Borrow someone else's PC
2. Open the cover of your PC, when the PC is trying to start, can you feel any vibration from the hard drive? If yes, and there isnt an awful ticking noise - you are in luck.
3. If there is no vibration, check the ATX power plugs. Swap one over. If this fails, your hard drive is screwed
4. Take out the hard drive, and put into the friends machine, set it so that it is a secondary / slave drive
5. Start up your friends PC and check the drive appears in My Computer.
6. Do a "disk check" operation - by going to Properties of the drive, and Tools
7. LEt it run through a check and fix operation
8. Put it back in your PC, and it should now start up!
Hope this helps!
