To recover your data, run Knoppix. It is Linux software and free. The major advantage is that it loads into memory and does not touch your hard drive. If Knoppix sees the data, you can copy it to another media. Knoppix is free - it is a long download but well worth having as emergency software. You can find it with Google. I have found that it works very well. Best wishes Robert Turnbull, Toronto, Canada The NOSPIN Group Promotions is now offering Mandrake Linux or Red Hat Linux CD sets along with the OpenOffice CD... at a great price!!! http://freepctech.com/goodies/promotions.shtml