HELP! won't start up beyond apple screen

I've had my iBook G4 for about 6 months and I've encountered my first major problem. I've had several problems with my G3, but never like this. I've stumped the phone tech support and I need help.
My computer turns on normally, then flashes black screens, the gray screen with the mac face folder and question mark, then the blue screen with the apple in the middle like it's supposed to. Just when I think it's working, it shuts down. This happens every time, no matter what I do.
I've booted off the installation disk, and drive genius disc and it does boot up. But it won't let me repair or verify the disc! It says it needs repair but that there was an error. It will boot off my external hard drive and function fine.
Any ideas?!?!? I really can't afford to lose everything on my hard drive and I'm stupid enough not to have backed up my files in the last couple of weeks. HELP
thanks,
Audrey

Well, you could pick up an external firewire enclosure, empty; and after
you get the computer's drive replaced, put the old HDD into the enclosure
and see about getting a disk repair utility that may be able to gain some
access to your data; that may allow you to try and recover what is locked
up in the computer's old hard disk drive. Even a third-party disk utility may
be able to get a peek inside; unless the drive is truly totally fried.
You may have to ask and or search to find if there is a recovery utility
better suited to attempting to get your data off a failed hard drive. The
commercial recovery companies do get a premium per MB they retrieve.
Depending on the data and your need to get it back, this can be costly.
If you do get a FW external enclosure, be sure it can accept
both the laptop size HDD as well as a standard size; then you
can also use the enclosure with a new drive later on to backup
your stuff on a regular basis. Not all externals are equal; and
if your data is truly lost, you could just get a complete FW drive
unit for backup and tech repairs at home; for clones, etc, too.
Best of luck.

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