Old files, new need; reward offered

[BigV]

I have a hard disk drive that was a secondary drive in an old xp system, now long gone. The original computer, and it's boot drive are irretrievably lost.

But I have this secondary drive. It contains many files, especially many pictures. I can see these files, I can browse the directory structure all with no problem. But I can't open any of the picture files. No preview available is the common complaint. I get that in all the image-savvy programs I use. This is bad.

I have checked the disk for errors, and found none. I have connected the disk to my systems via an external enclosure and usb cable to various different systems, all with the same result. Can't open the pictures.

There are some files that can be opened. Small files. Like small text files. Like cookies and such. But other files refuse to open. Files created and saved as Word documents have a valid filename and suitable extension, but when I try to open them, Word prompts me for the encoding to use, as though I may have written a letter to my mom in Turkish or something. No choice of encodings produces a valid readable result.

What I suspect has happened is that way back in the day, in a severely misguided attempt to conserve disk space, I enabled disk compression on the whole system. Yay, more space. But now, outside the context/key of that original bootable system, the files are dipped in carbonite. I am UNhappy.

That I can open some files, like small files, with no trouble makes sense since they'd not meet the minimum ROI for compression and were consequently left unmolested. Larger files got "helped".

I have many tools at hand, none of which have helped. I have some budget for this and much patience. But I don't have any more ideas as to get at the content of these files.

I want to know how to "decompress" these files. I think that's the best avenue to explore. I think they're stuck compressed, using Microsoft Windows XP's native compression. I would like some help decompressing them.

I will pay a reward to the person whose suggestion leads to the solution. I would be happy to redirect that reward to the cellar tip jar or split it or whatever. But right now I am well and truly stuck, and I'm waving a handful of money to attract some help. I'm open to suggestions, any ideas?