Don..
i have 2 suggestions
#1, go to your start button, click on Window's Updates, let their site scan your system.. get all updates available except for Video Card Drivers, get Video Card drivers from the manufacturer of your video card (not the manufacturer of your machine).
#2, Go to the following site :
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/sp2preview.mspxFind the Networking install of Windows XP Service pack 2 and download it.. after installing it, it will effectively turn you system into Windows Xp pro.. this update, if not released already, will be released soon...
the network install contains a complete update package where the windows update for Service Pack 2 is only a partial update.. you will know that you have the correcct package as the Incomplete package is only 100 MB where the Full Network Install is 225 MB.. you want the 225 MB package..
No one using Service Pack 2 has had a problem using SFC 1.. Some people, depending on the stuff that they istall like memory managers, Virtual CD's and all that other junk.. they are the one's who complain about install and playability problems.. those items overwrite Windows Signed Components with unsigned (and untested) components.. which will cause stuff to mot operate correctly..
Speaking of which.. you can check your system to make sure no window's components have been altered..
go to Start button.. click Run, type in CMD and press enter.. in the black window type the following
sfc /scannow
this will do a full operating system scan (windows operating system scan only, not entire computer)
If a file has been altered or changed by another program, it will ask you for your Window's install CD.. which means something on your system is altering your Digitally Signed Operating System files... You may want to determine what program caused the problem and completely remove it from your system.. if SFC /SCANNOW finds nothing.. then your system is clean and may just be in need of an update, or possibly Service pack 2.
Hope that this helps.