Hello my computer will not get out of the black BIOS screen where it tells you the keyboard is pluged in and it will not go to the screen other when i PRESS F2 also..Its stuck...I think the hard drive is done. If it is how can i get the info off of it so i can get another hard drive and place the info on it?

And when i buy another hard drive will i have to buy windows XP again?

Thanks
RossThe best way to retrieve the data off of that HDD is to hook it up as a slave drive in another working desktop machine preferably with a burner so you can burn what you need to CD/DVD.
While you are waiting for your new HDD DLoad and run the manuf. HDD diagnosis on that HDD.
If it passes then when you get the new drive simply use the manuf. utilities that SHIP with the new HDD to "clone " the old drive to the new one and you should be good to go...
Depending on the old drive's health as determined by the diagnostics you can decide whether to use it as a second drive for extra storage.

Since you have come close to losing your bacon this time AROUND now would be a good time to develop and STICK to a good backup strategy.

I recommend Acronis True Image which makes images of all your data and can RECOVER from the current situation in less than 20 minutes as opposed to re-installing everything all over again...

The best deal on it right now is thru newegg.com ( Kudos to GX1_Man ! )

p.s. i'd also start looking for your XP CD right now in case you need it...