bebebe - it looks like we're on our own on this one. No one seems to get that we've done all the uninstalling /reinstalling, - diagostics, - and launch attempts from various LW locations., . . .

Although SP2 was not the cause of mine, - obviously something has changed an intrinsic setting or registry value. when we updated.

I don't know if it's the same for SP2 -- but unfortunately after upgrading to DirextX 9c -- the restore function of XP can't take me back to an earrlier restore date before this all happened. There is an indication right there that DirectX changed something so completely that restore can't roll it back.

Anyway -- for now I'll keep researching and just use the desktop - which still works.

Good Luck!