Question : Problem: Computer freezes when accessing file

In August, my 14 year old was backing up our pictures using an Adobe Photo product that he downloaded from the Internet, I think his intent was to store them on his Ipod - the computer froze when he got to a certain picture and apparently shut down after he made attempts to close out when it wouldn't.  We have had increasing problems accessing the picture file to the point of now the computer freezes if I open it.  This originally only occured when I highlighted the offending file or tried to move the offending folder out of the file .  I had a similar problem a few years ago and worked with AVG on-line to solve it.  I remember going into Safe-Mode and trying to Zip the folder but I don't think that was what worked to isolate it.  This picture is still on my desk-top and may be the source of this problem as well.  I have tried going into Safe Mode and dragging the file out but to no avail. I have tried defragging my computer and have tried reinstalling pictures that I have on a CD for that one folder back into the folder but as I mentioned the problem has escalated to the point that I can't access my pictures in this  folder.  The folder contains about 4 years of our life in pictures!

Answer : Problem: Computer freezes when accessing file

If you have the means i would first copy any valuable data you can to another media source such as a USB drive, networked computer, slave HD, CD, DVD, etc. It definitely sounds like a failing disk or file system. As chilternPC suggested I would then do a chkdsk. Chkdsk does not do a very in depth test so it may not find/fix the problem. If this becomes the case I would highly recommend Spinrite (not free but has a 30 return policy) http://www.grc.com/sr/faq.htm. This tool get to a far lower level of the hard drive and can often fix what others cant (may take several hours to do).