If your Bios can still see it you have a good opportunity to get your data back. Dont freeze it!!!!

Dont worry if XP can't see it.

I have recovered data from a number of harddrives, using different software tools. The last one I used was Active FIle recovery pro. It worked well enough, at least it bypassed NTFS security to get to the data.

Just search for some tools that can read disks directly. Plug it in and run the utility, you should be able to recover most of your data, unless you have complete mechnical falure (which doesn't happen often). But freezing it might just cause that.

In the future get an external drive, preferably firewire to backup your info. SO you switch it on, backup and then switch off.

I have always used Seagate for many years and had no problems. I then started using IBM deskstar on PCs and Maxtor and some WD, all I can say in overall quality they all suck compared to Seagate. Going forward just buy Seagate would be my recommendation, you will have the least amount of problems, and they are among the quitest drives on the market.

Good luck, and in the future buy a good HDD and get an external backup. SOunds expensive now, but saves you a lot when problems come knocking.