Can't Open Burned Data CD/Insert CD into Drive E

Since I keep getting the low virtual mem signal from windows 2000,
(and the pc is very slow to respond)I did find my HD is nearly full
(pie chart), I need to move a big pile of folders, jpgs, and files
onto a cd. (Is this what's called a backup, because I've never done
that before, and I don't have an external drive to put my excess files
into.)

I've burned a data cd before, a while ago, on a CD RW like the ones
I'm currently using, and I recall that even at that time I couldn't
access the data later, and now when I try this again, using the same
Roxio CD Creator software that came with the pc, I get the same
result. The data seems to be copied ok to the cd, it makes sounds, and
then shows the time passing. It then asks for finalization, and I
select that, and it says cd successfully burned, or something like
that. However, when I go into My Computer, and select E drive, it
keeps asking me to insert a cd into the drive, when it's already
there. Even if I take the cd out and replace, I get the same message.
Any ideas on how to fix this, and what's going on with the burning
software. And also, what the best method for moving a chunk of your hd
(with all kinds of file types) is, apart from partitioning or buying
an external drive?

Thanks for any help

 >(Is this what's called a backup,<

yes

 >
 > select E drive, it
 > keeps asking me to insert a cd into the drive, when it's already
 > there.

That is windows way of telling you it can't read the disc.

 > Even if I take the cd out and replace, I get the same message.
 > Any ideas on how to fix this,>

You said you tried 3 optical drives and got the same error from each one.
That means it was a bad burn.

 > and what's going on with the burning software. <

The software was happy when it was burning the cd. The software thought
it had made a CD. See if there is a "verify" box to check on the burn
the disk dialog screen. If so, check it and burn again. That will let you
know
if the optical drive that made it, can read it. I had the same problem with
a top of the line Yamaha burner and it was from using cheap blanks.
Changing to Memorex fixed it for me.
On my plexwriter 12X purchased years and years ago, I can burn on any media.

 >And also, what the best method for moving a chunk of your hd
 > (with all kinds of file types) is, apart from partitioning or buying
 > an external drive?<

Depends on the size of the chuck. What I did was buy a hard drive
and installed it as a slave and moved everything to it. Watch the Sunday
newspaper ads for specials at BestBuy, Staples, Circuit City, etc.
You can usually pick up a 40 gig drive for $40 after rebates these days.
Backing up to CD's, for me, turned out to be a pain in the ass. They
get scratched, lost, I can never find the one I want, they are hard to
index, you know, try finding what you want from a pile of CD's. A
second drive solves all the problems, and when you upgrade your
computer you just pull the back up drive from this one, and put it
in the new one.

Sammy




 >
 > Thanks for any help<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->