Hey buddy... long time no see...
When you copy small files (less than 256KB), Windows uses a different copying process, one that maps the file into Virtual Memory space. Windows then reads the data from Virtual Memory space, instead of from the slower floppy drive.
But here... as u tried out on another hd... this error would indicate physical problems on the diskette media, and is unrelated to paging operations involving the Windows paging file, despite the wording of the error message.
I'ld suggest u try these methods first...
Inspect the diskette for damage. Reinsert it and try again. If that doesn’t help, a third-party drive utility may be able to recover the file. Check the cable on the disk drive and the computer. Make sure it's snug. Remove the cable connectors from the disk drive and the computer, then reinsert them. Remove the cable connecting them and replace with a new or known good cable
.
Also check out the motherboard, ram etc...
Might help if its the other components which r problematic.
Or try takin the faulty drive to a friend & runnin it there as the primary drive.
If it works, by chance, it's a problem with ur machine components & obviously not the drive.
If not working, it's definitely ur drive's problem. It's corrupted/damaged & the files r under risk and that data is probably not recoverable.
Still... try copyin first...
@ ur frinds place, u can attach ur corrupted drive as secondary drive/slave & boot as usual with his working one as primary drive. Copy anything important to his drive or to a USB drive.
@ ur place u can try accessing drive thru
live cds... use any live cd to access ur drive & copy paste it to another medium (say another HD or USB Stick). Well, u need to download & write them from a friends' or cybercafe.
Some Windows & Linux live cds here
If everything else fails, finally try data recovery...my fav free one is
Restoration.
Others here -
Data Recovery Tools.
U can also
try professional ones (which cost a bomb) like Stellar Phoenix,
Ontrack Data Recovery...