I could not agree more. I uninstalled from my XPPro system. If the kids want to mess around on the ME side, that'll be ok for now.

I don't want to do anything that will jeopardize the way my video setup is working right now, especially not just so that I can play some heli-shoot 'em up for a day or two.

I suppose the demand for ever more realistic gaming has done as much as anything to push the development of available computer technology to the point where it is, so I shouldn't complain, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out why my system (only a year old . . . I know that's an eternity in the computer environment) is so anemic that it won't run this game right out of the box.

My kids are grown now, but, as a reminder of old times, they always buy "me" one of those fancy games for Christmas. Seems we always get around to trying the game out late in the day each Christmas, and, my memory is ever fresh that each year, the game won't run.

Usually, I get it running a week or so later, after we are all back to our daily routines.

By the following year, that game is old hat, so we start the same process over with the latest and greatest. You'd think we'd all learn, but old habits can persist, you know.

Caruso

I feel your pain, just finished "fixing" my system after some serious counterstrike battles my "computer geek" son had, knows way enough to be extremely dangerous!! Oh well ,small price to pay for a great holiday visit.

One of the nice things about XP is since all applications run in their own memory space, problem applications can be set up to run in an earlier version of Windows and not effect you other applications.

So for example if some game is designed to run in Win98 it can probably be installed and run OK under XP, assuming you can install it, however the best choice is always check for XP drivers on the application's web site.

XP also has a much improved help system. For example click on Start, then Help, which takes you to the Help and Support Center, select fixing a problem, then try either the application and software wizard starting the games and multimedia troubleshooter or the games, sounds and video problems wizard.

For the more daring, assuming you can install an application and it just don't work properly, right click on the exe file of the application causing you problems, then properites, then check run this program in compatibility mode, then finally pick an earlier version of Windows. Settings applied only effect the problem application.