Solid Hardwood, Engineered and Laminate Flooring - Laminate over Hardwood?

I'm looking for some advice to help out my parents. They have 20 year old real hardwood floors in their bedroom which they had carpet installed over it about 10 years ago. They've started getting a musky smell in their room, so they decided to rip up the carpet assuming it was causing the odor.
After we ripped all the carpet and padding out we found that in front of the window (about a 20 sq ft. area) was rotted, moldy, and had shrunk and warped. We're assuming this happened a few years back during a bad storm where our windows were covered in ice, then melted leaking into the room. There are no pipes of any other source of water under the floor.
None the less, we feel the room needs to be redone, and we're considering doing it ourselves. The question is if we were to purchase a Pergo or Ikea laminate floating floor, could we install it on top of the existing hardwood flooring? If so, would we need to put something between the floorings (especially where the original hardwood is a little bumpy)?
If not, removing the original hardwood flooring seems like it would be a tedious task, considering each board is tacked to the subflooring at an angle, is this a nightmare to rip up?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks for taking the time.

-Justin

For me, it is a piece of cake to do a board replacement or a section replacement, but I have the tools and have done it before.


The hardest part for me is the left over fasteners after the wood is removed.

The best way I have been taught to get the fastener out is clip it off if it is a staple, or grabbing it with wire cutters and twist and keep rolling it over until it breaks off or comes out.

Chances are if this is an old floor and is in the condition you say, the fasteners will be rust.


The mold suggests it is still getting moisture from somewhere. A leaky window, or around the window trim or framing, on the outside.


Is this window on the west or northwest side of the house or basically the saide the normal storms blow in from???

The window faces west. We have since gotten new windows. We had one very bad storm where we suspect melting ice on the window dripped into the house. Unfortunately, insurance is unlikely to cover it 4 years after the fact, plus it's impossible to prove.

Another thing that crossed my mine, is the old flooring should be ripped up to insure the subflooring is not rotted.

With sectional replacing how do we find real hardwood that will come close to matching 30 year old hardwood?

Also, if it makes a difference, using American Express points, we can probably cover the entire cost of materials to redo the room at Home Depot.

-Justin