I'll assume you clean it.

The cache is where SFC gets the replacements when it finds a corrupted file, which almost always means a file that was overwritten by an older one in a program install, not actual data corruption.

Five years is a long time in Windows land, you should wipe out the OS, and update anew.  It's possible to restore your computer to functionality with an absurd amount of work, and you can get most of the way there with registry cleaning software, but basically you have a long running mess.  Your problem isn't overwritten DLL's, but Windows registry design.  At five years, you have countless entries cluttering it up, making Windows take forever to find the things you're actually looking for.  Start over, and wipe out five years of retarded developers(microsoft chief among them) not properly cleaning installation entries when they modify them.

I don't doubt the wisdom of your advice, psychoak, but it's my wife's daily user and I still want to live a few more years, so taking her system down for 2-3 days & getting all back the way she wants entails significant risk.  Easier to listen to the complaints.

Or buy a new rig, though that's dicey, too - she hates it when anything 'changes' or requires 'new procedures'.

WCIS, it's my cross to bear.

Daiwa... only for you: http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/189400897

Hope this fixes the altered system files.

If it doesn't, then roll back sp3. I hope you have a disk with sp1 and sp2 to put in your cd drive. If you do: The no-reformat reinstall operation starts with a normal boot from an XP setup CD. Ideally, to save time, use a setup CD that's been "slipstreamed" to include the SP1 and SP2 patches and upgrades. (Need info on slipstreaming? See "How To Save An Hour (Or More) On XP Installs" and also this third-party site).

Put that disk in the drive and restart your computer. You'll get a screen prompting you to "Press any key to boot from CD". Do so (blondes always say "I can't find the 'any key'").

If you don't get that screen, you'll have to change the boot order in your BIOS (http://pcsupport.about.com/od/fixtheproblem/ss/bootorderchange.htm).

Just follow Langa's article (or print it out) and hopefully you'll fix things.

If you don't have a disk with sp1 and sp2 on it, then you're looking at a wipe/reistall. Just save all the data externally before doing it.

You might run a chkdsk /f /r before doing the reinstall... and an antimalwarebytes scan...

1- Stop doing that.

2- Open Taskmanager/ Processes...what's eating up the CPU clocks?

Nothing to speak of other than SIP really.

Launching iTunes, for example:  Immediately pops open to a 'restored' window and the hourglass spins for about 20-30 seconds until the window maximizes, during which time SIP & TM itself stay at the top of the list with fleeting pops of iframework.exe and cfp.exe (Comodo firewall).

Thx, Doc.  I've read through that article before and bookmarked it.  Problem is I don't have an XP setup CD for this machine - has an OEM OS install with a 'Restore to Factory Settings' CD, not exactly what I wish to do.

MWB run from another networked machine turned up nothing.  I'll try running chkdsk - nothing to lose.

Another thought, create a XP installation disc and slipstream the service packs/security updates onto it.... then when you run sfc /scannow and are asked to insert the installation disc you'll have the necessary files.

Like I said, just a though.... should work... I think.

But his problem is that the files needed for the Installation Disk are corrupt... I was hoping he had Restore disks from before all his problems started...

Don't actually know that - just that sfc was asking for a bunch of files to be copied to the dll cache (shouldn't sfc 'know' it's working with an OEM install?).  I'm assuming that means some files are either corrupt or 'not original', but sfc doesn't indicate 'why' (haven't looked in the cbs.log).

And thanks for offering some help, starkers.

Yes, but if he can get hold of a XP installation disc and slipstream it with SP3 and recent security updates to a new disc, he then has clean files when performing the sfc /scannow command 

Furthermore, in the event of having to perform a clean install at any time in the future, the original product key for XP would still work and the time spent downloading service packs and updates is considerably less... meaning a quicker, less painful reformat

I actually have an XP SP2 installation disc - installed a clean copy on another computer that I gave to my son.

Would it satisfy SFC?

Some times you just have to bite the bullet.  I had the very same problem with my brother-in-law's system, and damn near had to break his arm to reinstall XP (like you he didn't have the OEM disc, only the factory reinstall on the HDD).  Ii only took us approximately seven hours to get everything up and running.  Now his system is running like new, and guess what. . .he is happy and easy to live with again.

If you were to use that disc to slipstream SP3 and recent updates to a new disc you'd be able to use that to restore the current system files [XPSP3] with sfc /scannow.

As I recall, XP was a bit funny about its versions... like if you have SP3 installed, a previous disc with SP1 or SP2 will not run unless you perform a clean install, which I understand you're not too keen on doing... hence the slipstreaming SP3 idea

You sure that's what it said?

Sorry -  iFrmewrk.exe.  Brain subconsciously added the extra vowels.  That's my story, stickin' to it.