Help. Maybe dead; only boots into safe mode menu

Somebody please give me ideas.
Yesterday it was fine, today I can't get into it. Hubby thinks it is a hard drive issue.
The Dell logo comes up and then the Win XP logo. Next, it changes to the screen/menu for Safe mode options. I tried to open it by all 5 options, but it only reboots and returns to the same screen.

Hubby tried to repair it from the original Win XP office installation disc and that didn't work. He used it to get a DOS prompt. But he doesn't know the DOS name for documents and settings, or program files. IF he did, he said he could copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine. Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files??

I've got stuff on there that should have been backed up, but wasn't. :cry:
Hubby can do certain things with the computer: reformat, etc. IF we had good directions, he can work on it. ANY IDEAS??


My friend took her computer to the Geek Squad and wasn't pleased with the results. If we have to take it somewhere, after trying things at home, who is skilled enough to retrieve those docs and programs??
Thanks, MRS. H.

Dell Dimension 4100,
Intel Pentium 3
Windows XP prof
30 Gb hard drive plus a 2nd one in there
Norton Internet security, Spybot & Ad Aware run weekly

 

oops duplicated.

 

How to get my stuff off the HD

Clarification-
Hubby used Win XP Professional disc to get a DOS prompt; used the DIR command, and got a list of directories. He can't locate the files, as DOS truncates the names. He knows the names in Windows, but doesn't recognize the truncated version in DOS. He's looking for documents and settings, and program files. He wants to copy and paste them to the 2nd hard drive that is in the machine.
Anyone know the DOS names for docs and setting and program files??
I NEED my files and pics.