Laptop Hard disk Access

[TechSupp]

Been given a laptop to look at and the problem was that it just was in a loop, starting up then rebooting all the time never going in to XP fully. Seen this before and just did a recovery console etc. Managed to get the important data required off it using paragon rescue disk and burnt it to a CD. Now when I got access to the disk in Dos I can copy files from the disk, list whats on the disk but cannot create or copy anything on to the disk. Tried various programs to look at the disk and scan it, only one bad spot, but otherwise seemed ok. One program however listed the disk as having a security frozen property on it? Never seen that before. Data taken from the disk is OK(I've checked it) but when you try and copy to it it reports sector not found!

Has the user loaded some disk\repair program on it which has locked the disk (which I suspect but cannot confirm now it has been handed back to me to fix) or is it just the disk knacked(technical term).

If it is frozen/locked can I unlock it and how?

Will reinstalling XP correct this problem (don't mind wiping the PC :-) ) or if it is some security lock, is it at a bios level and installing XP will not get around to it?

A few questions I know but though I would ask those who are still awake like me 8O

[plock]

I'm not aware of this issue; I would re-format and re-install the operating system.

Let me know how you get on, would like to know for future reference!

[plexer]

Using whatever tools you used on it have you been able to write to disks before when mounted in dos?

Is it fat or ntfs?

Ben