Yes it does, thanks. The only reason why I want to clone it is, firstly, so I can be assured I can access my documents and the programs and downloads I want to keep, I'm fairly fastidious about keeping copies so I should be able to reinstall all the stuff I want to keep, the other reason being I thought I might be able to get around the need for the NT disk, if the installer sees a Win 2k installation on the disk, but I really want to format the new drive and start from scratch, ideally. I would suspect my DVD+-r drive wasn't reading correctly, but the w2k disk seems ok, seeing as my win 95 cd's not being accepted as a valid qualifying disk. It's oem and as far as I can tell, capable of doing a full install, however, I couldn't even swap out the existing hard drive and install w95 on the new hard drive, it wasn't seeing it as a valid disk or some such. When you're suggesting I run SFC, do you mean boot from the w2k disk? If I do, there doesn't seem to be a lot of options apart from the installer, can I get to a dos prompt on the w2k disk?

I am understanding this as the app is still there and fine but an actual file created using the app was trashed and wants to be retrieved is that the situation or did you lose the app itself? I can not help with retrieving a trashed file on ipad, no experience there. recover iPad files try some of those

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was finally able to boot the PC up and retrieve my files. Mikie I didn't have a CD in but I think that it was trying to boot from one. I read that I could boot up from the Windows XP disc if I changed the settings by hitting F1 when trying to boot the PC. When I went into setup, it appeared to have already been set to boot from the disc and I wasn't inserting the disc. I'm not sure how this setting could have gotten changed (the computer was working fine last week)or if maybe I read the settings wrong in setup, but I changed it to boot from the HD and it booted right up. I am definitely ordering an external HD enclosure. Thanks again for the help!

one thing I will say right off is you will need one with a modem since you will be using dial up and that is a feature not all come with these days so you will need to be certain to add that to your list of must haves, most will come with the wireless capability built in. It sounds like you need just a basic full size laptop since you do not have any heavy use hobbies or work. You could easily get away with a single core processor which would make it much cheaper, if you want to go up to double/dual core processors that is easy to find now and will come in AMD and Intel, I personally am an AMD fan. You will be faced with the 64 vs 32 bit options, that goes for the actual processor in the laptop and also for the version of windows you will get it loaded with. A 64 bit processor is my advice, you can run both 32 and 64 bit programs on it, as to the operating system you may be better off with 32 bit since that is what you are used to and nothing you will be doing will be needing the boost of 64 bit, but if that is what it comes with then don't let that be what turns you away, most are loaded with 64bit Windows 7. Stay away from anything loaded with Windows 7 starter edition you want Home Premium at the very least. My husband wanted a home laptop to use sitting in his recliner to do very similar tasks, I knew he would not be doing anything heavy with it so I got him this Acer at BestBuy, it was on sale for $329, it does have Windows 7 64 bit home premium on it, it is an AMD single core. With 3 gigs ram and 160 gig hard drive it is a decent daily use unit. Acer - Aspire Laptop Most will have some type of trial antivirus software, I took that off immediately and replaced it with AVAST free, I loaded open office on it so he has his office applications. And installed firefox and customized it. He is delighted, He got to try it out before it goes under the tree.