What is the safest way to back up a failing mac hard drive - when some files are more important than others?
When you say "some files are more important than others" you're thinking about your user data i guess.
For me the best way would be :
- install a compatible Mac os x system on an external drive. Then boot from this drive and instal Carbon Copy Cloner (free one month in test version)
- inside CCC select your important data and clone them in a directory of your external drive.
So your internal disk will not be too busy and this will allow you to save what you want.