UPDATE
I had taken no back up of recovery files or anything (lesson learnt here - the hard way). So I tried installing a pirated version of Vista, which failed - 3 times.
So I was fed up and asked my guy to format the HD and install XP. It fails to format the HD too now. twice. Then we do a quick format which suceeds and try installing XP , it works fine till 45 % and then it goes nowhere. Try again , same thing.
Shut up the system, dump it into the bag and off we go the service centre. Explain the problem to the guy and he diagnoses and says the problem could be due to bad sectors on the HD. Give him the lappy and he gives us the receipt where the problem observed reads
" Missing OS / #1-07 FAIL". This apparently means my HD is gone. So we talk to the guy and ask him if he can do us a favor by lending us the HD so that we could try and recover our data. He says not possible but for us he will bend the rules. There is nothing, a little sweet and friendly talk can't get you.
So now I hope get back my lappy with the new HD and Vista again
as there is this wierd rule that the HP guys at the Kalina service centre cannot change the OS.
Am hoping for the best. The service centre guys were pretty helpful and co-operative too. Full marks there.