My tablet is insane, part 2

So.  Since my tablet refuses to boot properly, I probably won't see it until Thursday, and it will probably be wiped and I'll get to spend next Friday refilling it with programs.  Oh fun.  I get to borrow someone else's computer (or something… I dunno) to do my (OneNote format exclusive) Engineering homework, which is LAME.  Why isn't there something for Windows that allows you to boot off a disk, dig around in the hard drive (because sometimes it's possible to save a computer without wiping it clean, even if you can't start off the drive!  I think I've done it before on my Macs!), save important stuff, and then reinstall the system?  For Macs, all you need are the system install discs.  They do all of that, and sometimes you don't even need to reinstall the system.  Much less wipe the hard drive.

Argh.  I have to admit that Windows, when it works, is bearable to use.  It has useful software that won't run on my (ancient) Mac.  But it is certainly hard to perform diagnostics on something that won't start up off the nonexistent system install disk and is not user friendly when broken.

I miss being able to use my Mac for everything.  (And no, don't say that it's nice that now I get to use my Mac for everything.  Half the software I need does not come on a Mac, especially not one as old and as non-Intel as mine.)

Sorry if I sound non-professional here, and I'm sorry if I'm offending your favorite computer platform or something.  I'm just frustrated and would rather rant in text than scream, punch a pillow, etc.