samlib.dll and related gone + HP Pavilion CD flakes out

[mellowmelon]

Just for completeness I'll mention the first problem I'm having, in case someone has an alternate solution to it.

A run of CHKDSK before Windows XP (SP2) booted up decided that samlib.dll, samsrv.dll, and ncobjapi.dll were orphan files and deleted them. Obviously that is a big problem and the computer can't start now. Safe mode does not function and none of the settings in the BIOS console seem to get me anywhere. I have access to nothing else. So I'm trying to get the Windows XP Install disk, and I'm pretty sure I know what to do from there from research. I'll be getting that in a few days. So I think I can deal with that, unless someone has a better way.

Here's my real problem.

This is a laptop, HP Pavilion dv43?? (4330 maybe, I don't remember exactly the number). No floppy drive, so the install disk will be a CD. The problem is that the CD/DVD drive on this computer flakes out a lot, and actually has not been functioning for the past few months (during which I never needed it so I did not bother). Basically, the symptom is that the computer does not recognize the existence of the drive at all.

In the past when I've needed the CD/DVD drive, we opened the computer with a screw driver and shifted it around a bit, and it would usually work after booting up. It's been awhile though, so my confidence in doing this is not very high. Especially since the drive hasn't worked for quite awhile.

The real reason this is a problem is because if the CD/DVD drive flakes out while the computer is running, the computer hangs and needs a restart. Pretty much, I need to get the drive working long enough for me to be able to recover the computer.

Does anyone have some ideas on how to help ensure that I can keep the CD/DVD drive working permanently, or with minimal chance of losing it again?

Thanks in advance for any help.