A last hopeful question before trashing a HD

[Pyotr]

My hard drive gave up on me last night. I started a game, as I often do, someone logged in on msn, and for no apparent reason, everything locked up and sound started repeating itself.
I shut power off, restarted it, and after Windows loading screen, the computer restarted automatically (actually, I got a screen asking me if I wanted to start in failsafe [called that?] or normal mode).
Tried a few other things, then used Knoppix live to see if I could salvage some of my files on that disk. Couldn't access the hard drive at all (plus my other one wasn't the right size, hope that one isn't borked).
After restarting and trying a normal boot, I got the message that the computer couldn't read the disk, and I should press a key for a restart.
I tried most I could think of, including reinstalling Windows (after a format from the install program), but when saving Windows settings, everything stopped and stuck for a long time until I finally decided to shut it off and think of it as a lost case.
So, is there anything I can do to ever use it again, or should I just throw it away and get a new one?

 

[suprasteve]

should you keep using the drive? definitely not, you don't want that happening again
is there any way to get the info off if it's really important? yeah, but if the disk is bad, you're probably gonna hafta go with the guys who do it professionally

 

[Geoff]

I wouldnt through it away yet, i would set it aside. I would buy a new one, and if you get problems with that one, then it may be a problem with the motherboard.

 

[Pyotr]

is there any way to get the info off if it's really important?

Kind of no, I did format it..

I doubt it's the mobo. The hard drive has been sounding kind of strange last few months, and I've just been an idiot for not making backups of important stuff.
Will be getting a 40GB, put all important stuff on my other HD on DVDs, wipe it clean, and only keep Windows on the 40. Sucks really. :/