If the data is still on the drive you can try putting the drive in a USB enclosure and accessing it like you would any external drive:
http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory....Enclosures
If the drive is still in the computer you can try going online from another computer and downloading, then burning a boot CD, of Knoppix:
http://knoppix.net/ which is a bootable linux operating system. You boot the bad computer which will see the bad drive as a non-boot drive. If the data is still good, you'll be able to access it, but you'll need and external USB harddrive to move the data to.
If the drive is making a grinding noise, you're most likely out of luck, but the Knoppix attempt first, should at least help you determine if it's worth it to proceed with an external enclosure.
Lastly, you can hook it up inside the computer (if it's a desktop) as a slave to the first drive. It's not hard, google it, or youtube.
Youtube might give you onscreen step-by-steps of all the above.
Good luck,
Dave
Resolve then, that on this very ground, with small flags waving and tinny blasts on tiny trumpets, we shall meet the enemy, and not only may he be ours, he may be us. --Walt Kelly