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you are very welcome, Tman! First clue as to whether it has SP2 is that on the Windows Screen (the one with the black background) when the computer first starts up, the "thermometer" is blue on SP2 editions. And yes, the key to installing SP2 is to have the computer as clean from cooties as possible! Is there an easy way to check "specs" on the computer? (I assume there is...) if so, my new computer has SP2 already on it and I can look to see if my specs say anything different than "XP Home Edition", which might help tell if you already have SP2 or not. Other than that, XP is very much like

She DOES exist! Welcome back, Pat and I'm glad to hear you and Hubby are doing just fine, just busy! What great news about the severence package! And enjoy having Hubby home. Hoping he isn't underfoot or you'll have to make up a chore list And yes, Hubby will be in my prayers! Even IF he ends up having the surgery, my Dad had Prostate Cancer Surgery and Marty recently had Prostrate Surgery (I'm sure Marty won't mind me posting this as he posted about his surgery here and at Drew's) and both came through with flying colors and are doing fine! I've been busy doing the "weekend megaload o

I was going to ask if your new toy is SP2, then dinner was ready..... Others will chime in but I kept my notes from when I took the SP2 plunge. SP2 Prep Per Dell: instal AdAware Personal SE or Pestpatrol.com Update, run, reboot, run again and reboot again if spyware is found Update and run AV Update firewall Back up or copy important and irreplacable personal info (probably doesn't apply to you yet!) SP2 per G4 1. Back up data 2. run disk cleanup, clean temp internet files, empty recycle bin and defrag 3. restart computer 4. make restore point. Start/programs/accessories/system tools/system r

Macmarauder, I boycot companies that tick me off, too. I don't blame you a bit! I'm still boycotting gasoline as much as I can by only using the car when I absolutely have to and skipping the 25 mile one way trips to Walmart. Gaad, it's cold! It's only November and I'm already sick of the cold! Must admit I'm keeping the heat down to around 60 degrees. With Hubby working third shift, sleeping all day and being an Eskimo that enjoys the cool temps, the kids gone at school, and the dog having long hair, it's part of my gas boycot. We'll see how long I last until I crank the thermostat up

Happy Birthday Shadow Thomas! And welcome to the century club! I'm still older than you are by a few weeks! Have a wonderful day. Liz

Daughter plays at YouTube, thank you so much, Sultan, I'll get this info to her (NOW let's hope she remembers! ) Liz

And I'm betting that will happen! Panhandle usually refers to Florida but Oklahoma and Texas have panhandles, too. Liz

Bubbabob, I lurk the ads and buy the cheapest candy I can find This year it was tootsie rolls. And of course, dum-dum lollipops or smarties for the babies. No chocolate candy bars for the goblins, I have a $15 limit! This year I only spent $13 and have leftovers. No problem with leftovers like JDoors, I have kids, I'll just send the leftovers off to college with them (although I might keep the tootsie rolls for myself!) Liz

You mean old man, you! I loved your story! This was an unusual year here, too....I always get parents trick or treating with babies but this year I had TWO moms who thrust out their OWN bag! I mean, honestly, is that baby going to eat all that candy?? (I DO give lollipops or smarties to the babies with an announcement to the baby, "This is special candy just for babies!" But these moms kinda floored me. I'm a mean mommy, my kids didn't go out till they were 2, and then only around the block! We had about 400! I live across from the elementary school and in a farming community so country

Happy Birthday, Dan! Hope you had a wonderful day Liz

I agree about writing a code number on the certificate, but printing them on an unusually colored paper will help, too as a "cheater" won't go through the trouble of tracking down the paper. Ooooh, a gift wrap paper could really work, as a cheater would look for regular paper, not in the gift wrap aisle. Liz

Oh, that's great, Marty! Copy, paste, email and thanks! Liz

Thanks, Marty. Your post made me thankful that I'm raising my kids in a small town! Yes, they sometimes complain about their "electricalAmishFamily" and call our town Mayberry, but they went to the drive in this summer and they LOVE Lipton Soup chip dip! We have a phone on the kitchen wall--a cordless, too, but I never use it. Too much fun watch Hubby trip over the cord Liz

Well, they sure are CUTE! Lucky parents. I can just imagine the fun those boys are going to have telling folks they're brothers, hopefully the parents will raise them to embrace the "puzzled looks" or disbelief and have a good sense of humor about their "Fraternal" look. I have identical twin sisters and they used to get into some hilarious situations (OK, they weren't hilarious to my parents when they occured....but we all laugh now) Liz

Hope you DO catch him! I didn't understand Terrorist's tip (don't worry, I have no need to understand! ) but another option could be if you leave your computer on when you're gone, and your Firewall makes a log of the cooties it blocks, if there is no activity for a certain period of time, you can probably assume you have no internet connected! That's how I busted the kids playing on the computer till 4am (we turn the computer off at night so there's no Firewall log activity when the idiot box is off) Liz

Isn't that sig great, Macmarauder? Thanks to Handplane, as usual! *salutes* Me? In trouble? Never! Been busy with two October birthdays (kids) and sewing my head off. Daughter had a costume party to go to and wanted to be "Glinda, Good Witch of the North" I've always said MY next costume was going to be Glinda (her character on Oz was so annoying and I love to imitate her ) so I was thrilled to make a Glinda costume for someone. Bought a proper colored dress at Goodwill and another dress the same color for extra fabric and "reworked" the dress. Anyways, the party was last night and

Gosh, late again.....anyways, a Very Happy Birthday, Tootsdog! Hope you had a wonderful day Liz

LOL, Lefty, sounds like a Daughter! At least with some updates, you NEED IE to run them, so take that pride for a job well done! Liz

Pats the monitor on his head, says "good boy" and hopes I'll never have to jump to Vista! Sounds waaaay to complicated! As far as I know, Macmarauder, Vista is still a Beta thing. I hope it stays that way for a long, long time! Liz

Happy Birthday, Loki! Have a great day! Liz

Happy Birthday Bearskin! Hope you have a wonderful day! Liz

Ooooh, yeah, which reminds me--DO get the "garden variety XP home". Daughter has XP Media Edition on her computer and it contains more bells and whistles that I prefer, which probably eats up Ram and stuff! One main reason why my new idiot box is a Dell Celeron el-cheapo is because it came with "ordinary" XP home. Less fluff. Easier to use. Liz

Oh, wow, Macmarauder (you're singing about being snowed in? You nut! ) I'm happy you have power! Stay warm and don't drive until the plows get out I was wondering how you fared, Terrorist! Ugh, looks like an early winter. I don't like that. Liz

We have 3 computers running XP with only 256 RAM--I'm typing on one right now. Son only succeeded in obtaining a Blue Screen of Death once in 3 years (and kids gun computers! Mine watch videos, play games, multitask, you name it.) I'd try XP with what you have and see how it works! If you wait much longer, Vista will be the only OS available, and you can bet Vista won't run on that machine! Liz

Aron stopped home today (he had to reff some soccer games, the ridiculous pay and a home cooked meal was worth the trip for him ) and I relayed the answers, ordered him to check in here, and thank you both soooo much! He said the zip drive still works fine, it's just "wiggly", it doesn't seat securely in the slot it's supposed to fit into, and a wiggly connection isn't the best connection. I think that he'll convince Manda to use her warranty rights! At least I hope so, Manda's pretty stubborn she's perfect for him Liz