im looking for something like a usb boot repair tool. i have a computer that gives disk read error press ctrl+alt+del to restart. i do then i boot from the vista cd(oem) and it acts like its going to load then gives a black screen then gets stuck there. it doesnt have a floppy drive so i was thinking that there could be a usb tool i can use to help me out. does anyone know where i can find one or if this is even the right approach.

thanks,
john

it sound like your hard drive needs replacing, test it with manufacturer's diagnostic util which you can download from a relevant site

Cudni

Try checking your cables first to make sure they are seated properly

***MAKE SURE YOUR SHUT DOWN AND POWER OFF THE SYSTEM FIRST***

Check the cables to the HD and the motherboard (this is probably irrelevant if it is a SATA drive, but taking a peek isn't going to hurt, with the additional benefit being you can see what kind of HD you actually have so you can then follow Cudni's advice and run some HD diagnostics on it.