Corrupt Savegame Information?

OK, I accepted the fact that no matter what I did, there was no way out of the Serpent Temple without my system locking up whenever I attempted to use the levers on either end to get out so I loaded a game long before I ever went there and worked my way back only to have it lock up repeatedly whenever I got near the end of the river that would take me into the area of the Serpent Temple. I saved it in the same (old) slot as I went along but it is useless, I can't even get back in now.
I am going to assume this is being caused by corrupt savegame information and I would like to know if there is any way to fix it without having to start over from square one.
I was just beginning to enjoy myself and to have to start over will present no challenge.
The only things I know of that I have done prior to my dilema is #1) I uninstalled & re-installed the game in an attemp to cure the problems I had with it crashing after I got the new video card, and # 2) I got on the internet to come here looking for help, subjecting myself to potential hacking albeit why anyone would want to screw with my game is beyond me.
This is not a pirated version of the game, I got it as a gift from a friend who wants me to be able to enoy it. I simply have not registered it because my boyfriend & I share the same internet service and he was online both times I installed.
I realize that this is a holiday but any help anyone can give me would be very much appreciated.
I hope you all had a safe & happy new year celebration.
: )
Moni