Thanks for your suggestion--I did upgrade my PC, so the Memorex is
using USB 2.0, not 1.1. So at least, it's not the USB's fault.

As for what other program I was running at the same time as
Nero/Windows Media Player/Real Player--well, Norton antivirus and Zone
Alarm.

Finally--yes, my PC *is* a 3+ years old dinosaur...but I've spent so
much on it over the years (increased memory, replaced graphics card,
replaced CD-RW drive, added HDs, got new speakers, etc.) that I would
like to squeeze as much out of it as possible (and I'm not a gamer).

Because I just *know* whatever PC I buy now will not meet the *real*
(not minimal) required specifications to run Longhorn (or was it
Bullhorn?) promised by Microsoft (you know, like the BS about how WinXP
only "needs" 64MB memory to run--ha!).