My goodness gracious, this really isn't that complicated. If you suspected a bad drive, what you should have done is determined the manufacturer of the drive and downloaded the manufacturers diagnostic utility. If it reported errors, replace the drive (perhaps under warranty) if not, look elsewhere for the source of trouble. As it appears you replaced the original drive, the new drive is blank and has no operating system hence the error message. You have four choices: Reinstall the original drive and run the appropriate diagnostic utility to see if the drive is actually failing. Leave the new drive in place and reinstall the operating system via the supplied recovery disc which will return the computer as it was when you first opened the box. Once that's up and running, get all the Windows updates and install any software you'd like to use. Of course, you'll loose any data on the old drive. You do not need to download any drivers first unless you've made big hardware changes to the computer. "Big" changes would most likely be video or sound cards. Use the original drive to make a clone (exact copy) of the drive contents on the new drive. Every drive manufacturer includes the necessary software and instructions in the package or makes it available as a free download from their website. While this method will preserve your son's data, if the problem wasn't the drive but rather, say, some corruption in Windows, those problems will continue. Leave the new drive in place and reinstall the old drive. Run the recovery disc, installing Windows to the new drive. As described above, get Windows updates and reinstall any software. Selectively copy data files from the old drive to the new drive. If the diagnostic software indicates impending failure, do this part quickly. Let us know how you want to proceed and if you need additional instructions.

Personally I wish everyone would either use a linux live cd or add Linux to their pc in a separate partition or use the wubi installer to put it into windows itself. At any rate it should be what everyone uses to do their day to day activities online, like surfing, going to forums, checking your web mail, anything like that should be done using linux and there would be much less infections happening. It is so easy to do and so easy to use for those simple chores there really is no reason not to do it. I never surf using windows anymore just too many websites that have been infected and are spreading nasty bugs. Surfing with linux no worries they can't affect you. There is on a daily basis normally nothing I have to switch over to my windows pc for. But should I need it for some of the programs that I use on windows then I do just that switch to that pc do my work there then go back to linux to hit the internet. Using linux to do that kind of simple stuff is a breeze. Plus if you already use firefox you wont' notice you are on linux since you will be using firefox there also. And you can save your bookmarks file from your windows firefox and import it to the linux firefox and have all your faves right there there. Running on live cd will be slower of course than installing it but it is great for starting out so you can see how to use it and not mess anything up. I put up that link to how to order the free cd just for that reason I wish everyone here would go ahead and order at least one to have on hand should your windows ever die on you at least with the live cd handy you can get in and save your files off. I am by no means a linux pro but I sure do know some so anytime anyone needs help please just ask and if I don't know the answer I will find someone who can help! They are very helpful people, and forums available. There is a somewhat new way to use linux on your windows pc using the wubi installer, this is included on the ubuntu and kubuntu live cd. With wubi you choose to install linux to your windows just as if it were any other type of program. Say like you are installing AVG it puts it in it's own folder then if you ever want to get rid of it you go to add remove programs and select it and hit remove. That is what wubi does, it installs linux in windows as a program in it's own folder and does not interfere with anything else on your windows system, if you decide you no longer want it go to add remove programs find it in the list and hit remove. You can select how large you want to let the linux folder be when you install it. here are a couple screenshots to show how simple it is. Screenshots WubiGuide This is yet another way to get linux using wubi Installing Ubuntu From A Windows System With Wubi so lots of ways to get it and use it with out messing with your windows area at all.

As only leaving Win98 18 months ago, kicking and screaming I admit, my position is it shouldn't matter R vs RW. I would recommend that she open My Computer and see if the drive is recognizing the disk. Unless you named the disk it should read as a series of numbers rather than the drive letter identifier. If the disk is recognized have her double click on it, or right click and select open on the appearing drop down menu. I do have one other thought. Your WMP version may be so more ahead than hers, she might not have the technical ability to open the files. You might have to redo the disk with perhaps Irfanview and ask her to install it on her system too. Irfanview worked fine on my old Win98 and still does on the one out in the garage. Plus, to avoid the possiblity use a CD-R if you do. DA

It is a simple operation really assuming you have the flash drive/s. Right click the Start button click Explore and a window opens with a left and right pane insert the CD and the flash drive (I cancel offers to open a window here) click on the CD in the left window to highlight the contents in the right side click the top item on the right to highlight hold down the Shift key and tap the End key so all the list is highlighted right click on the highlighted stuff and click Copy now on the left side right click the Flash drive (likely listed as E: or F: drive) and click Paste and the contents are copied over. Repeat as needed Done.