You might be able to save your pictures if your hard drive is isn't totally fried. Ask about it when you get a new computer, see if they can hook your old drive up to your new computer long enough to transfer your pictures over to your new hard drive.

I have a lot of digital pictures. I went to Target and bought one of those Case Logic cases that hold a bunch of CDs, when I back up my pictures, I put the CDs in that case - that way I always know where my pictures are. I put install CDs in there too.