Kernel Panic : Computer completely blocked

[ant1060]

Oh no!!

After 4 years of successful Ubuntu, my computer will not boot now at all :

Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,1)

And it's worse than other users who have experienced the same kernel panic as my computer sticks on a black screen,and I cannot type at all (nothing happens when I try to type).
I created a new Ubuntu 8.10 ISO image disk using my MacBook but when I insert this into the Ubuntu machine, press ESC on startup in order to have the Boot from CD option, I can arrow-scroll to that option but the CD does not boot even when I use ENTER on that option.

As I cannot type, have no access to a command line I fear the machine is dead and I can no longer access all my stuff!

HELP !!!

[devosion]

The fact that it's looking at an unknown block for root may mean that your hard drive has hit its end of life. Although it's strange that you would be unable to boot from the cd though. Any chance of making an ubuntu usb bootable and booting from that? Or give another live cd a shot.