Macbook pro stuck on grey apple logo screen - HELP! I've tried everything

I've looked through the forum for help and I think I've tried everything short of erasing and reinstalling mac os x -
- I've done an fsck (got "invalid volume count", "invalid node structure", "volume check failed" errors)
- booted from install disk and tried to verify disk (same errors as above)
- tried to "archive and install" mac os but got error saying "the destination disk must be erased for installation"
I tried T-starting my laptop connected to another mac (a powerbook g4) to try to backup my files before erasing and reinstalling mac os - but the mbp hard drive won't mount on the powerbook.
My latest idea is to try installing mac os x onto an external drive - and then booting my macbook pro from the external drive... and see if I get anywhere. my only concern is, I have to make SURE the option saying "Install Mac OS X - Installs Mac OS X for the first time" does NOT delete the contents of the external drive (it is a client's and cannot be erased!). I know there is also the option that says "Erase and Install" -- but I just want to make sure the first option will NOT delete the contents of an external drive.
Anyone know for sure? Or have any other suggestions? I have some work on my macbook pro that I cannot lose. Unfortunately I have not been backing things up... big mistake that I will not repeat.
Thanks in advance.

DiskWarrior is the answer, as sig has suggested. It can sort out directory damage that is well beyond Disk Utility's repair capabilities. If you already had a bootable external hard drive of your own, I'd urge you to buy and download DiskWarrior and install it on the bootable external drive, then run it from there to rebuild the directory on your internal drive. I have to say that using a client's hard drive to solve your own problem would be appalling and unconscionable, and I hope you'll forget that idea.
If you can't see your way to buying an external hard drive along with DiskWarrior, you'll have to buy DW on a bootable disc, or order one online and wait for it to arrive.
If you can buy an external hard drive of your own in addition to DiskWarrior — and I can't think of any better use for a credit card, if cash is short — then you'll be able to boot your MBP to a Leopard installer disc, install Leopard on the new external drive, and then buy DiskWarrior as a download (rather than on a disc) and use it as I described above. After sorting out the internal drive with DW, clone the internal to the external drive with SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner, and there's your backup from now on.
I should add that although Western Digital external hard drives seem to be available cheaply everywhere, I strongly recommend against buying one. Seagate drives are also widely available, and would be a better choice.
Message was edited by: eww

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My Powerpc Mac Mini froze up recently, having left it on for a few days without shutting down/resetting. I impatiently turned it off with the power button at the back. When I turned it on again, it only got as far as the grey apple logo screen, it now refuses to go past this screen despite numerous power resets, and unplugging at the power.
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Message was edited by: misternuge

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Welcome to Apple Support Communities.
I hope you have return privileges.
Macs are notoriously 'picky' about RAM. Just because modules are advertised as meeting the specs doesn't mean they will work reliably.
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2 x 2.8 GHZ Quad-Core Intel Xeon
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The array and the OS drive are not "linked."
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Jai141 wrote:
... and im not sure as i brought the phone of someone else.. i will have to ask them
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Jai141 wrote:
Thanks
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G5 dual 2.7GHz refuses to get past the grey apple logo screen no matter what I do!

Hoping that someone might be able to help, as I think I have tried pretty much everything and I’m running out of ideas now!
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joeuu, thanks for the reply. i checked the airport and the ram and both seem to be seated properly.
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Macbook pro stuck on grey apple logo screen - HELP! I've tried everything

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