Did you double check to make sure the cable from the laptop to the router is working (by using it from the modem to the router or from the modem to the laptop)??
Non-competes are very hard to enforce. Nearly impossible against regular employees. I have a friend thats in the industry. He is always looking for some hardworkers etc... I'll see if he's looking for someone right now.
Sounds like something in the startup file is locking up. Will it launch in Safe Mode?
BTW: Just pop the drive in another box and access it as a data drive. No biggie.