If you want to hire someone, please post your job request here:
http://jobs.wordpress.net/
I’ll have to lock this thread down if it turns into a bidding war.
The initial upgrade may have failed because you tried to go directly from 2.3 to 2.9.
The “semi-official” WordPress major upgrade path:
1. Backup the files and the database.
2. Download WordPress 2.5.
3. Do a manual upgrade to WordPress 2.5.
4. Repeat step 1, but don’t replace the previous backup (keep both on hand).
5. Download WordPress 2.7.
6. Do a manual upgrade to WordPress 2.7.
7. Repeat step 1, but don’t replace the previous backup (keep both on hand).
8. Use WP’s automated upgrade to system to upgrade to 2.9.2.
9. Repeat step 1, but don’t replace the previous backup (keep both on hand).
10. Use WP’s automated upgrade to system to upgrade to 3.0.
