Thanks, folks, but I guess I wasn't clear enough in stating the problem. Let me see if I can be clearer.

1. The burner doesn't have a problem recognizing the CD-RW disk, Windows does. When I put the blank CD-RW disk in the burner and run Nero, Nero is very happy. When I put the same blank disk in the burner and double click on the drive in "My Computer", I get an error message.

2. I never got to burn any of the transfer files onto the disk, so that wasn't the problem. I just burned a test file using Nero.

3. It's not about CD-R vs. CD-RW; I'm just talking about CD-RW here.

4. This is a nominal 52X/24X/52X burner that I've used many times to burn--and read--both CD-R and CD-RW. It's not part of my laptop, it's an external drive connected via USB2.

5. I can understand the transfer program not wanting to use a disk that already has information on it. But why could it recognize that disk, yet not have recognized the same disk five minutes before when it was blank? I suppose it might have something to do with what John said about problems with burners having trouble recognizing blank CD-RW's...but then how come the same burner has no problems recognizing the same disk, blank or burned, when I'm using Nero?

While you generous folks are mulling over that one, I have a question about the ports John mentioned, since a network connection may indeed be my best bet.

My old machine (Compaq) has the following connections:
USB
serial (9-pin)
PS/2 mouse
parallel
monitor
standard phone jack
PC card slot
It does not appear to have a network connector jack.

My new machine (Dell) has the following connections:
USB (two of them)
monitor
S-video out
standard phone jack
network connector (looks like an overweight version of the phone jack)
PC card slot
It does not have a PS/2 mouse port or a 9-pin serial port.

So, John, can you tell me the best way to connect those two computers? It would appear that (1) serial won't work because there's no serial port on the new one, not even disguised as a mouse port; (2) parallel won't work because there's no old-style parallel port on the new one, and W98 doesn't support DirectParallel connection, whatever that is; (3) network won't work because there's no network port on the old one!    Can I connect to a network hub via the USB connector on the old computer and the "network connector" on the new one? Or both USB's? And what else do I need besides the hub and cables?

By the way, I tried looking in Windows help (after I finally located it from the "improved" XP start button--what a nightmare!)...it was no help at all. It's amazing how Microsoft help files have the uncanny ability to deduce precisely what information you're looking for...and then instantly remove that information from the help file.

Thanks, all!
Aloha,
Mark