Boot drive failed the very time I have no backup image...

If you can boot up in Safe Mode, and fsck passes, your conclusion that the DRIVE has died is without merit.

The "simple" graphics driver is used throughout Safe Mode, and for everything on the Installer/Utilities DVD. Regular Startup uses the "simple" driver... until you get to the end of the regular spinner time. At that instant, control passes to the loaded graphics Driver, and the card switches to "automatic" mode. Faiure to show a new screen at that point strongly implicates the graphics card.

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FIRST, boot up in Safe Mode and make backups of anything that is not backed up.

Then, think about how to finish debugging a graphics card failure. Options include:

• Running Apple Hardware Test (but false negatives for graphics problems are common).

• Making an Appointment at the genius Bar, FREE for an evaluation, in warranty or out. They are supposed to have "known good" parts they can use for debugging, but smaller store may not have any Mac Pro parts on hand.

• Know that the currently-available Apple-firmware 5770 works in ALL models of Mac Pro. Apple lists it for the 2010 and later, only because they have not regression-tested it in the models that were already discontinued when it came out. It works. Drivers are in 10.6.5 and later.

Apples INSANE policy of no longer selling physical media for OSX!

You can get a copy of the original release discs for your Mac Pro for a nominal fee (about US$25) by contacting AppleCare and asking to purchase Replacement discs for the original software that shipped on your Mac Pro. Have your serial number ready, as they do everything by serial number. Also know that "first responders" are sometimes not properly trained that these discs are available, and you may have to request a Product Specialist.

You can also use the "Full Retail" Snow Leopard DVD, which appears to contain 10.6.3 build 10D575. It is still available for sale, but you generally have to call the Online store support number, as the item is "put away" so users will not buy it in error.

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The DVD for an iMac may not contain all the Drivers you need to run a Mac Pro.

If you can boot into "Safe Mode" (hold down Shift as you start up, and be ready to enter your username and password, even if you normally auto-login), then most of Mac OS X on your Hard Drive is working fine. Safe Mode loads only a minimal set of Kernel extensions, and no third-party ones.

You should also have a "full Retail" 10.6 around, if you are now running 10.6 and your machine was issued with 10.5.1

The amount of stuff for just 10.6.8 is over 10GB, not including any User files or large third-party Applications. Is your destination Volume large enough to accept that much?

I have seen the bar in Safe Mode. I have never seen it progress more that 2/5 across the screen before it disappears. That much I consider "normal".

That it did not then give you a login screen is not normal, and indicative of software problems on your drive.

If your Mac Pro was shipped with 10.5, how did you get to 10.6? Where is that disc now?