Error Code 0x490-Computer Will No Longer Boot to Desktop-Repair Fails

I run Windows 7 Home Premium and have the installation CD. My PC is homebuilt. It's about 1.5 years old.

My problem started on Tuesday. I turned my PC on Tuesday morning and everything was fine (Windows was allowed to do an update the previous night). I turned my computer off and later that day turned it on and it would no longer boot. Oddly enough, Windows appears to have done another update that morning without my consent according to the system restore information. I did not do much at all that morning other than things I did on a regular basis. I run top notch antivirus and blocking software (though it could always be a crazy new virus these days). I am able to go to the admin account's recovery tools page. I have tried system restores at all 7 points and none work. They all "finish" and then pop up a message saying an unspecified error caused it to fail. I have tried to use the repair disk to reinstall the MBR via the dos prompt in the recovery tools (using the installation CD as the source) and even though it says it restores it, the PC still won't boot. chkdsk says everything is fine. I'm at a loss for what to do next.

I think it's one of 2 things at this point. Either the HD is failing (with no signs prior to this incident), or a windows update messed up something. I doubt it's something I did that morning as I didn't do anything new and actually did very little at all.

I've seen where someone else had this same problem Tuesday morning via Google, but nobody has given them a helpful answer other than reinstall windows.......don't want to do that b/c I don't want to lose all my files! I've talked with some PC experts and they don't have a clue what's happened and all just want me to bring it to them and pay them even if they can't recover my files or fix it. (Though one guy has more or less guaranteed me that he can recover my files). I know it's rare that the entire hd would be inaccessible, so I'm hoping that I can get my files recovered.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Tews said:

You can download a Liinux ( Ubuntu ) distro, and run it in the Live CD mode, and recover all of your files to a separate drive/partion/USB drive, then reinstall the OS... Hope this helps...

Okay. I can look into that I guess. Never used Linux before. Got any links to a tutorial on how to do that? I also lack another hard drive and a data transfer cable. But I could probably buy those cheap enough. Or I can take the PC to an expert for $100 and have it fully inspected. I'd rather that money go towards another HD and data transfer cable.

Edit: Does anywhere sell data transfer cables that aren't super expensive? Bestbuy wanted $50 and that's a bit steep for a cable.