Hard drive can't find OS...optical drive still works?

I have a Macbook that showed me the "question mark folder". I've tried to use some other OSX dics and they will run and give me options, but I can't install them. This Macbook is the first version that came with an Intel chip. If I replace the hard drive and buy the full version of Snow Leopard, should that get it running?
I'm assuming this is a hard drive failure. Any help would be great! I've got to keep this one running for a couple more quarters of school before I can get a Macbook Pro.

Possibly the most popular question in these forums.
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