>>Take a look at Visual Studio® Installer 1.1 >>http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/downloads/vsi11/default.asp
>>
>>>>My development machine is WIN 2000, using VFP6SP5......

sergey -

thanks for the advice. i dug around in there long enough to
understand what the Windows Installer technology was all about.
came to realize that Wise for Windows Installer was also based
on the Windows Installer technology, but the interface is a
whole lot easier to work with than the VSI.

i may never know what was wrong with the VFP setup wizard,
but now i may never care !! :)

thanks again,