I have an Intel PIII ~ 550Mhz computer running Windows ME, 20 GB, Intel MB. I am trying to get my data files off of my hard drive so I can put them on CDR's and transfer them over to my new computer. I am not going to make my old computer's HD my slave because I am giving away the old computer as a gift. My Probelm is, after removing my dial-up connection through Add/Remove now everything is going buggy. My Nero software is freezing in the middle of burns, my cable connection is sluggish, and some of my programs won't start up on double click. For example I tried to go around the CD software problem and download GoToMyPC so I can get my data files off that way. Bad thing is, my computer wull not allow me to double click on the set-up program. Matter-of-fact any set-up program with the exception of installation programs on CD won't run now. I am running a USB 2.0 Buslink CD-RW 24x10x40 (my card is USB 1.0 - the drive is backward compatible.) In my frustration I have tried the following: Recovering my dial up connection data, Trying to install Windows XP upgrade to see if it would patch the problem (it wouldn't continue because I don't have enough HD space.) Upgrading my Nero rom software to a 6.0 demo found on Cnet, Trying to install other Cd-Burner programs. All of these would Not work. I am very frustrated because I need to get the data off this hard drive so I can set my new computer up and erase the HD on the old computer so I can send it as a gift. Could there be something that my old dial-up connection wiped out? Or is it a registry problem? I keep my virus definitions up to date but I can't do a scan because of the start-up problems. I tried to go to Windows Update nut once again because my cable connection i now sluggish I can't get anything to DL. If anyone can offer some good advice. I am all ears. If I need to DL patches, or drivers I will need to do it from work or a friend's computer. Thanks... Sorry it was so long.

hello' reboot goto start,programs,assesories,system tools,system restore go back to date befor you removed the conection.

Sounds bad. If you have no other luck, you could install the old HDD into the new computer as a slave. Then you boot up (using the new OS and new HDD, as normal) and the old drive should appear in My Computer. Simply find your files, copy them onto the new HDD, and you're all set. You can then also format that old drive while you're there, take it out, stick it back into the old computer, reinstall the OS, and there it is: a freshly cleaned old computer. Worth a go.