sorted the permissions issue out but everytime i double click folders now in anything other than :C drive it opens a search window instead. You can right click then 'open' but this starts to get annoying after a while. Any way round that?

Also now i have internet problems. It did it before formatting, so although I wanted to format anyway it was an excuse to do it sooner. I thought I'd buggered some obscure setting up, and when I formatted the internet connection is fine. But as of just the problems come back again. I've not fiddled any settings, but the internet logo in the corner says no connection (but aol logo says there is - so theres internet) but the connection only lasts for a few minutes sometimes and takes a very longtime to recconect again. And then once connected (knowing with the aol logo saying connection) the windows says theres nothing.
The annoying thing is this usb dongle (a 3com one) was used in my dad's pc for over 2 years with no problems, and then I pinched it cos it was better than a dodgey wireless card I bought. So its worked fine ford ages and now its as if there are compatibility problems
Can anyone help?