HELP!!!

HELP - not sure what is wrong with my aa1

i had successfully set up my 16gb SSD, 1gb RAM, linux AA1 with:
desktop switcher
compiz
cairo dock
VLC
thunderbird
sunbird (a mozilla calendar)
GIMP

thought i would do something basic and put in my 32gb SDHC card into my expansion slot, giving me a nice hard disk capacity
i didnt realise that it would automount and took it out while i think my computer was doing something with it, to check the (reported) capacity via the other SD slot
my computer then froze, forcing me to take the battery out
- i cannot mount (or even detect) any USB devices/cards
- i cannot get any network connection (reports that no devices are installed)
- my terminal will open, but i cannot type
- thunar has lost the handy documents, music, etc tabs
- weirdly my compiz cube has lost its skydome image and just has a graded background instead now (no idea if that is relevant)

-would concentrate all my efforts on restore, but there are some lecture notes that i would like to try and grab first

- i have tried to make a usb restore in the past and it has failed to work on two different usb sticks
>i boot from the DVD on my windows computer
>i select the create usb restore option
>it says something about linux kernels
>a progress bar appears, but does not move and then my computer cuts out after a minute or two, as if the power has been cut off

**Any suggestions please???
i am new to linux, so idiot proof instructions would be much appreciated

 

Oh and my power button no longer turns the computer off, only on
i have to use thepower off buton in my sys tray or 'quit' via the xfce4 desktop menu

thanks

 

Update:
i have managed to grab the files
windows (on other computer) sorted itself out and found the files that should have been backed up all along

any idea what is wrong with me making a restore usb stick?
i have tried three sticks so far
2 2gb sticks of the same make and a 1gb stick and have got identical results with both

has anyone else had a similar problem making restore sticks?
would trying another computer work? I am just a bit nervous of this incase there is a problem with the DVD and it screws someone elses computer up

thanks again