I'm wondering if I could use the WinXP Pro SP2 disc for Langa's non-destructive reinstall trick.

Stop!!

The SP3 update backup files are on your HD {i386} (unless you deleted them).

Keep it simple for a moment. Take a trip down memory lane...when did it start and what did you/she do at that time.

Yes. BUT you have to roll back sp3. Don't do that yet.

Daiwa....listen to yrag.

If you don't you run the very real peril of being called all sorts of names...like idiot, etc.

Me....I'm 'chief fuckwit' ...so you can't have that one....

Purely a term of endearment.

Most certainly.....afterall who wants to be "snivelling half-pint poor excuse for a second-rate fuckwit"?...

BTW....listen to him 'cos he's always right....

[pretty much, anyway.... ]

Been there, done that, have the T-shirt; owe him big time already, Paul.

Just ran into a small potential showstopper.  The version of XP on the Fujitsu is MCE.  Thurrot's walk-thru on slipstreaming says MCE owners are SOL.  That was over 3 years ago, though, so maybe things have changed in the meantime.

Everyone can take a deep breath, haven't touched the machine yet - just sitting down in the chair in front of it raises the hair on the back of her neck...  three rooms away.

As for when the problem started, it was sometime in the spring of 1970, but I digress.

The slowing of the computer & various annoyances have accumulated over the past 2-3 years but, as I've said, she is very change-averse & has discouraged messin' with it.  What prompted my running sfc and then this post was a problem with iTunes not 'seeing' her iPhone when connected.  It can see our iPod Mini, but iTunes won't/doesn't see her iPhone 3G, my iPhone 4 or my son's iPhone 4, even after updating iTunes to the latest version.  It has successfully synced her phone a number of times before, but it's been awhile.

....I'm losing interest fast.... 

That said, the iphone is a totally different problem, but it beats talking about a 3 year old problem with a long deceased operating system.

USB, WiFi or bluetooth?

My brain faded back to the 60's/ 70's.....I'm back now  

In hindsight, maybe they are related (aside the 'not seeing the iphones'). Can I assume you installed itunes 3 years ago on an MCE platform? 

iTunes has been on the rig for as long as we've had it, repeatedly updated to current version, and yes, MCE platform.

The computer connects to my network by wi-fi, if that was the question.  USB cable sync, if that was the question.

That I knew. That's what  iFrmewrk.exe is.

If nothing in Device Manager is "yellowed out" get a new cable. Take the lap with you so you're not blowing money for nothing. If it works, get a good one. The phones will long out live that lap.

As far as the "slowness"; run this and re-boot. http://support.microsoft.com/mats/slow_windows_performance/

No joy:

Go into Services and disable every reference to Media Center....there's a ton of them and they're hogs. Additionally, they're fighing with itunes. Re-boot and see what you've got.

Tried it with 2 cables, both of which work fine on another rig, so I think 'bad cable' is ruled out.

Let ya know after I run your link.  Thanks!

Yrag -

Went to that link & it says my OS (XP) is not supported.

hummmmmm........ SP3 should have been supported..... oh well.

Let's assume the cables are fine. Did you try anything else in the USB port you're using?

Does your iphone connect via Wi-Fi?

It's MCE, you recall.  I'll try (when I can sereptitiously access the rig) disabling all the MCE-related stuff in MSConfig.  I'll also move the keyboard or mouse to that port & let you know.

The OS/Explorer sees the device (as a camera), but iTunes fails to see it.  The phone connects to my wireless network, but I've not enabled wireless updating in iTunes yet.  Need to do a little reconnoitering to be sure it doesn't update when I don't want it to before I flip that switch.

And thanks again for your advice & help.