One approach which has recently allowed me to recover files from a WinXP system that wouldn't even boot is KNOPPIX.
http://www.knopper.net/knoppix/index-en.html This is a Linux distribution that executes directly from the CD and doesn't require a hard disk at all. Don't let "Linux" frighten you, It has a very Windows-like human interface. While you could download and burn a Knoppix CD, it is also possible to purchase one at very low cost.
The current version 4 of Knoppix will read NTFS files without extra software. These instructions for an earlier version don't recognize that fact:
http://www.shockfamily.net/cedric/knoppix/
All that being said, there is no guarantee that Knoppix will be able to get the data off your SATA drive. Surely it will be impossible if the file system is corrupt.
If Knoppix is able to recover the data from your SATA drive, you can then try things with XP with far fewer worries.
YMMV
seacue