On July 11, 2001, Reznor checked into a New Orleans rehabilitation center and endured a cold-turkey withdrawal experience that makes him shudder to this day. Upon leaving the facility, Reznor was more determined than ever to stay clean and sober. He finished the live set, titled ''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]],'' and began to focus on other projects. Among his projects were [[Tapeworm]], a collaboration with [[Tool]]/[[A Perfect Circle]] singer [[Maynard James Keenan]], and producing former Rage Against The Machine frontman [[Zack de la Rocha]]'s solo album.
In summer of 2002, [[Rick Rubin]] called Reznor in regards regard to country music legend [[Johnny Cash]] recording a cover of the song "[[Hurt]]." Reznor was honored and okayed the recording, since Rubin has done great work with Cash, and it wasn't very likely that "Hurt" would make the cut. In November 2002 Reznor received a CD containing Cash's cover and wasn't sure what to think of it. About four months later he received a DVD containing a music video for the song. Reznor was flattered, honored, and moved to tears by the results.
In 2003, Malm presented Reznor with some startling news about his assets. It was revealed that he didn't have as much money as he thought he did, with his net worth estimated to be somewhere between US$400,000 and $3,000,000. Malm also presented Reznor with a bill asking for US$3,000,000 in payment. Shocked by this, Reznor looked back at the contracts he had signed with Malm and found some errors. Malm sued to collect on the money he claimed he was owed. Reznor countered, claiming that Malm had been holding back earnings. Both suits were combined into one lawsuit by a federal judge in 2004, naming Reznor as the plaintiff, with the case going to trial in New York City in 2005. Malm was fired as a result , and Reznor signed with manager Jim Guerinot at Rebel Waltz. As a result, Nothing Records folded in 2004, being absorbed into Nothing's parent company, Interscope Records.
Reznor spent much of 2003 working on his other projects, which never went anywhere. Nobody No one in Tapeworm was pleased with the results of their recordings, and Reznor felt that de la Rocha wasn't ready to be a solo artist. The time out of the spotlight helped his psyche and got him to a better place. In addition to finding himself more mentally clear, Reznor was taking better care of himself physically, replacing the addictions that nearly killed him with addictions healthier habits that would aid in his overall well-being. By January of 2004, Reznor was ready to write and record a new Nine Inch Nails album.
===The Great Comeback===