It is very possible that "work" wiped out the HDD so as to make it impossible to recover any work related files. Security, you know? Being that it is a compaq, you might be able to reinstall Windoze. Go to the BIOS and ensure that the boot up sequence has the A:\ drive selected as the first drive. Insert your boot up diskette, format and reinstall.
Daddy0h
September 2005