Windows 7: Windows crashed. Now can't boot, even in repair mode or safe mode.

It's a home-built, with Intel Core2 Duo, Gigabyte motherboard, 1 TB hard drive.

Then I assume you have the windows7 installation disc. Reinstall with that. You have nothing to lose.

Yes, I do. I've tried several times to reinstall. My son, who built the computer, came home this evening, and ran some tests that show the drive is defective. The good news is that it's under warranty. A new one is ordered. Thank you very much for your help!

No problem. I am sorry you lost your data.

Hi Bthoms52
If really need you data to be recovered I think I have some simple tips.
Try to find friends who have Hiren's boot CD Version 10.1 (200mb) Or you can download its ISO Image somewhere in the internet and burn it.
or straighly go to Hiren's.BootCD.10.1.iso

It's a bootable CD, it has mini windows (plain xp). Run the mini windows, from there you can choose any recovery programs such as GetDataBack NTFS, Partition Find and Mount, Recuva, Restoration, undelete. Some of it are even able to restore files from erased or accidentally formatted partitions. But make sure you have any ready disk drive to write to (any external drive will do).

Once you done with it. You can do whatever best with your Windows installation.

One of my co-workers throwed me $50 for being so happy having his office data back though I refused it.

Hope it helps then.