thanks for the tips, have tried to do it both ways but still no work. I figured out the nuclear option but my wife started freaking out she was going to lose 10 years of photos and other shit. I don't trust my external hard drive backup process to have worked so I have no way of telling whether it's on there or not. I might throw in the towel and get my buddy to come over and look because I am at my wits end with this thing