First step:  Remove the hard drive, mount it in an external case and attach it to a working system by USB.  Make a backup of the files you can't afford to lose.

DO NOT proceed without making a backup!

Then return the drive to the system, press F12 at powerup, boot to the Dell diagnostics and run an extended hard drive test.

Thanks for the reply.  How do I mount the hard drive in an external case and access the files to copy them via USB?   Is an external case something readily available at your local retailer?

You'll need something like this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817729011

And to remove the hard drive, see:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins1501/en/sm_en/hddrive.htm#wp1123687

Thanks for the help.  I got the case, installed the drive and am searching for files. I look at the folders when I connect t the device and it actually brings up two drives, F and G.  The users folder in F has no files in any of the sub folders.

The G drive is not accessible - that is the message I receive when I attempt to read it.  My daughter had files on this laptop I am trying to recover but I am afraid we may have lost the files unless they are on the G drive.....

Any idea how to access the G drive to explore the files there?

PFMaplegrove 

It means the hard drive has failed.  You will need a new, 2.5" 9.5 mm (or slimmer) SATA notebook drive to replace it.