Ok, so a few days ago my Computer was crashing while playing WoW, and/or using Google Chrome. It would just hang, the mouse would be able to move but then nothing would happen when i tried to Alt-Tab or Ctrl+Alt+Del. I had to restart my computer, and after a few times of it hanging it started to get stuck on Starting Windows, after a few restarts it would load up the welcome screen only to hang.
Eventually, it just would hang non stop. I tried start up recovery, even safe mode, and nothing worked. I got a warning when trying the start up recovery that there may be a connection problem. So switched the cables around to see if that helped. Nein. The SATA and the Power Cables, werent the problem. So I was hoping it was a software problem because then its easy cause I can load Ubuntu and just copy the important stuff onto my ipod (Mostly my save games, around 250++ hours put into it) but Ubuntu said it could not detect a Live Wire, or something along those lines. So after talking to a friend, who suggested a HDD failure, so I loaded up Seagate Tools on a bootable disk and put it in. I tested it with a Short Test, and it said it passed. So I tried a long test, and it failed. Unfortunatley it wont let me move my mouse so I can click on anything or find any codes but I typed out what was written on the Log for the failed long test. Which is here:
Long Test FAILED 7/28/2011 @21:14.57
SeaTools for DOS v2.23
Device 1 is Seagate Device ST3250410AS 6RY63SG7 On Generic PCI ATA
Max Native Address 488397167
Device is 48 Bit Addressed – Number of LBAs 488395054 ( 250.058 GB)
This drive supports Security Features
SMART Is Supported and ENABLED
SMART has NOT been tripped
DST is Supported
Logging Feature set is Supported
POH 16053 Current Temp 28
Started Long Test 7/28/2011 @ 20:53.37
Long Test FAILED 7/28/2011 @21:14.57
So, is the HDD screwed? Is there any way to get whats on the HDD or is it gone forever?
Ironically, I literally just sent off a faulty HDD to Seagate a few hours before this happened 
I may just buy a small HDD and load Windows 7 onto it and use that seeing as the questionable HDD is at least 5-6 years old (I think)
Many Thanks for any and All resposnses, the quicker I resolve this the quicker I can begin the long gaming session of getting back my DAII and ME2 saves I have lost.
It's most likely dying, you could try HD Sentinal to gat the condition info, if it is on it's way out it's not worth the postage to send in let alone a repair, I would buy a new drive, a 500GB Sata2 is as little as £29 UK now, and at 5-6 years old and in the hands of someone who COD's 
you could forgive it for flagging.
