Flashing question mark after crash?!?

Start up off of the OS install disk to recover your files and then reinstall your operating system. I'm almost certain that the reinstall will delete everything on your current system so make sure the back up is comprehensive.

If you get the smile with the question mark, I'm pretty sure it means (in non technical terms )
that your computer doesn't know which startup volume to boot from.
It can't find the boot volume.

I can't remember if your OS 9 CD gives you an option to select the startup volume, or if you have to do so once actually booted into OS 9.

Sorry, it's been a while.

You may need to use an external drive or another
internal drive to retrieve your data.

If what you have on your system is irreplacable,
I'd grab an affordable 60 GB ATA drive somewhere and install it in your second bay.

Once you have that drive formatted, up and running, you should be able to select the original drive as your boot volume as long as it's mounting on your desktop. OR just drag your files to the new drive.

If you can not start back up with both drives connected OR the original volume does not mount,

disconnect the original drive before re-booting on the new drive. Then lock the new drive as your startup volume and shut down.

Then re-install your original drive, checking your connections and see if it appears on you desktop
when you start back up.

As long as your original drive mounts on the desktop
you should be able to retrieve your data.

I know there are several key commands that may work, but I never had much luck with them when the
volume would not mount.