HDD disk read error

i get the disk read error when i start up my 40gb hard drive. and since i have a 80gb one, i put it as a slave and try to transfer the files, then reformat the 40gb one. but i cannot get it to read the 40gb. at first it didnt work, i tried setting them to cable select, slave, master, no pins, and nothing. then i switched the IDE cables, and then the bios finally read both of the hard drives. but when i open up windows with the 80gb one, it wont read the 40gb in the my computers window. can any help? i ran out of ideas.

 

"disk read error" suggests the 40GB drive has had it.
Back it up next time...

 

so theres nothing i can do? and what causes this problem?is it because the hard drives too old?

 

Something with the hard disk's circuitry has probably gone bad. While there are places that *may* be able to repair the drive, they won't be cheap, and there's no guarantee they'll succeed.