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If it's recognised by the BIOS, and by the OS, even if fleetingly, I reckon you're mostly ok.
Connecting it into a different machine, or using a LiveCD, means that you current OS is not trying to do anything fucky with a drive that it thinks should be doing something else - Who knows what it has configured to save / read there.
It could be a power problem on the drive PCB, which would mean a donor drive being needed, and that's a new level of expense and ballache, as you need one that is closely matched not just in model but also serial.
NotThamesWater-
Cheers, I think it's probably the later, as the original computer now has a new boot drive and OS installed, and it's given the same result on two other machines. I've ordered a SATA to USB adapter to try just in case but beyond that it sounds like my best bet is just going to be re-making my portfolio, which was the only thing I really cared about on there. It was all re-works of images I have elsewhere so perfectly do-able if a little bit galling.
Polygon
You think that'd do it? AFAIK that's what our IT guy did and it showed the same behavior.
The same SATA and power cables work fine with another drive.