JRosenfeld

No don't click on the IE icon on the menu that opens when you right click/open with. At the bottom of that menu there is an option Choose program. Click on that. A second window opens. Select IE there and check the box at the bottom of that window 'always use....' then click OK

Autopatcher will downloadall post XP SP3 updates. You can put them on CD or USB stick. It will install ones you select. It also provides links to the KB article so you can check whether you want or need any one. It updates regularly. http://www.autopatcher.com/ Autopatcher users forum: http://www.autopatcher.com/forums/index.php?act=idx

Try reassociating: right click on the file, click open with, click choose program, select IE, check the box always use,...click OK

Except for this one: C:\WINDOWS\$hf_mig$ That one is essential or you'll break XP.

Is the Plug an Play service set to automatic and started?

Right click on the taskbar. If Lock the Taskbar is checked, click on it to uncheck it it. Then put you cursor on the >> at the end of the quicklaunch bar and drag to the right until it is fully expanded (the >> changes to a |). Relock the tasbar if you wish.

Prefetch loads the most often used files into any available RAM so that when they are needed it is quicker than having to load them from disk.

It could be due to a conflict between two items set to load at startup. try going into safe mode and use msconfig to disable all startup items. If that solves the problem, renable one or two and test, etc.

This is from a castlecops forum post (castlecops is now defunct): To get to the system account do this : Log on as any account that has admin rights . Go to start , run and type cmd and press enter . At the prompt type "at XX:XX /interactive cmd.exe" without the quotes and XX:XX representing the time in 24 hour notation and 2 minutes into the future . Type exit and press enter . At the time specified a new cmd box will appear . Anything executed from that box will have system privileges . All files for all accounts should be accessible now . ****DO NO SURF , OPEN EMAIL , INSTALL ANY APPLICATIONS OR UPDATES FROM THE SYSTEM DESKTOP . DOING SO CAN CREATE FILES THAT CAN ONLY BE ACCESSED FROM THE SYSTEM ACCOUNT . MALWARE INSTALLED HERE WILL BECOME IMMUNE TO ANYTHING BUT SYSTEM ACCOUNT SCANNING .**** These are the instructions for logging into the system desktop . This is different than the above directions because you will have all normal windows GUI functions and direct access to every file on the system . Log on as any account that has admin rights . Press ctrl + alt + delete . Click the processes tab . Right click explorer and select end process . (your desktop will disappear , don't worry) Click File , New Task (Run...) , type cmd and press enter . Close the task manager . At the prompt type "at XX:XX /interactive cmd.exe" without the quotes and XX:XX representing the time in 24 hour notation and 2 minutes into the future . Type exit and press enter . When the new prompt appears type explorer and press enter . Type exit and press enter . You will now be on the system desktop . From here you can run your apps although you will have to navigate to the programs files folder to run them because the system desktop will not carry over your start menu or desktop shortcuts . Any malware scanners run from here will have full access to every file under every account . The system account desktop can also be used to secure critical data . The my documents folder of the system account will be both invisible and locked to every other account (admin included) on your system .

On the Creative forum, Daniel-k poster offers very reliable drivers. I use them together with updated software package.( I have a Dell XPS 630i running XP SP3 with an Audigy 2 card that I transferred from my previous Dell 8300 when it died). http://forums.creative.com/creativelabs/bo...hread.id=139702 (use the rapidshare link, I think the filefront one has gone) Note: I think that software pack may not include the Creative volume control that appears in the system tray and provides direct links to the other software modules (EAC, mixer, equalizer, etc.. However the previous pack of his does: http://digiex.net/drivers/164-creative-aud...s-daniel_k.html (despite the reference to Vista, if you read the link you'll see there is a download for XP). It is an iso image that you need to transfer to CD or mount in a virtual drive if you have a suitable app for that). I used that and then updated with his second pack. You can of course choose to install only the drivers (uninstall the ones you currently have first)