G5 Quad hard drive may be dead - what should I do?

Yesterday my Quad froze up. I rebooted and got a screen full of code. I stepped back and a ran Hardware Test. It didn't find a problem. The local Genius Bar notices a 'clicking' sound and suggested that the hard drive may have failed.
My question: What are my options to retrieve the data [lots and lots of deadline-driven client work] before handing off my drive for a replacement? Suggestions please.
G5 Quad/G3 tower/iMac   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

A damaged directory can sound like the click of a dying drive.
If you can't get it off now and your usual backup software (CCC, SuperDuper, SynchronizePro) won't then try Data Rescue II (free demo, otherwise $99).
The best is to run Disk Warrior WEEKLY. Not when a drive is failing/failed. Intech Speedtools is also useful. But first is to always have TWO backup sets as MINIMUM.
Once you backup files you don't have backed up already or would be easy enough to replace, a full ERASE w/ ZERO-ALL OPTION can restore most 99% of drives unless it "nose-dived" into a platter and is physically shot. Which is rare.
If there is a bad block zero all usually works. Sometimes it takes 7-way write erase.
Of course drives are really inexpensive and $70 for 300GB or $120+ for 500GB. So really are almost disposable if there is a problem.
Some data recovery services costs hundreds or thousands of dollars. Start by buying three drives, some Firewire cases, and start doing daily and weekly backups.
DiscJockey is the only tool I know that can do a sector copy and doesn't require that the drive work inside a computer, and costs about $250.

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