OK, after my 98se bit the dust agian decided to wipe the hd and install windows XP now after I installed that (did not install service pack 2) installed SFCop patched it installed op4.0 and then the mirror mirror installer to get back into the server, now after all that pain all I get is a firewall message. so thinking that somthing went bad uninstalled SFCop re-downloaded everything and guess what fire wall message, anybody have any clues,fixes, work arounds, anything to get it working agian please.
DM6
OK.. First, update your XP to latest version by getting XPSP 2 located here :
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=enThe most important things in XPSP 2 is DirectX 9.0c and the new Windows Firewall it installs so you can correctly disable it. The old one in XPSP 1 is so bugged that it does not disable correctly without tinkering for a while with it.
DO NOT USE WINDOWS UPDATE VERSION OF XPSP2.. it is bugged, use the IT install listed above, it is the full package.
When you restart your system, tell XP to not use Windows firewall and tell XP to not use Automatic Updates (interferes with gaming).
Next go to Start button -> Run and typr in SERVICES.MSC and click OK.. scroll down in the window until you find Universal Plug and Play and right click and select Properties, set the dropdown box to Disable, click OK..
Scroll down to Windows Firewall/ICS and do the same thing you did in Universal Plug and Play.
Clost this window out.. Next go to Start button, click run and type in MSCONFIG and click OK
go into Start-up tab and remove everything that is absolutely not necessary for your system to operate correctly (Uncheck everything you can), but most specifically any mouse software like Logitech.
Restart system, then go to Windows Update at the following address (do not use the Windows Update listed in your Start menu)
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=enAfter getting the latest Windows Update software installed, do a CUSTOM scan and get all available updates for XP that is listed.
Finally, get all latest drivers for your system including Motherboard chipset drivers, vid card drivers, CD/DVD Rom Firmware, Sound Card drivers, etc..
Now your system should be about 60% set up, but in good enough condition to play SFC OP without much problem..
I can give you more steps to get full speed for broadband and 1.2 sec page loading times in IE, and help you configure services correctly to increase system performance and reduce ammount of mem that XP uses on startup.. and how to secure IE correctly to eliminate Spyware from getting onyour system.. but that will take a while and would require voice comms..