Jojo,

Thanks for the tips but I have decided to reformat and reinstall the whole damn thing!

It happened yesterday morning and was hoping to get some help in a few hours but time was running out.

Anyways, just a few things I like to ask:

>1. It took a long time! (even after the succeeding ones)
> ==> By default, Windows XP firewall is turned on...and it loads the default group policy settings..

SO, DOES THIS MEAN THAT SP2 WILL CAUSE LONGER BOOT TIMES? OR IF I RECONFIGURE THE DEFAULT GROUP POLICY SETTINGS IT WOULD REVERT BACK TO THE USUAL BOOT TIMES?

====> If you leave the default setting for Winxp SP2, it will boot longer, enabled & disable some unnecessary services from the System Services to make it boot faster.

>
>2. There are no icons found in the Network Connections folder
> ==> Check services, under computer browser, enable it, network connections etc..

I DID THIS BEFORE I REINSTALLED BUT AN ERROR 1068 - unable to run ICS or something like that came up

====> You have to configure this services and enable them if disabled, computer browser, network connections, workstation, server,ICF, disabling the computer browser and network connections will remove the lan connection icon from the Network connection and system tray. Some dependencies failed to start, thats the reason you see the error message.

>3. I cannot drag the icons found in the Desktop
> == by default, its lock...Check Local Security Policy..

WILL KEEP A NOTE ON THIS THE NEXT TIME...

>4. The taskbar at the bottom does not display the open windows, therefore not allowing one to switch between windows.
> ==> by default, its lock..security is tight that some functionality doesn't work. Check Local Security Policy..

WILL KEEP A NOTE ON THIS THE NEXT TIME...


>5. The Windows hotkey in the keyboard does not work too.
> ==> not sure about this..if its lock/disabled or not...

>6. The icons showing LAN connection disappeared on the system tray.
> ==> fix under services enable those networking components, afterward go to to Network Connections, properties.. tick show icon on the check box to show the lan connection at the tray.. make sure you manage to fix on the system services..just enable thos networking components..

I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THIS SINCE THAT ERROR 1068 CAME UP..

>
>So, with all those above, I tried to uninstall SP2 via Add/Remove Programs. It did not allow it, saying something like a certain file cannot be found!
>
>Check Security settings.. Local Security Policy..

I FOUND A WEB PAGE SAYING TO RENAME spuninst.txt TO spuninst.bat AND RUN IT WHICH I DID WHICH RESULTED IN THE MACHINE REBOOTING OVER AND OVER IN AN ENDLESS LOOP.

PS. BTW, R U PINOY?

OO, SIR.. 4 Years na ako d2 sa Brunei..