I'm missing a Registration Key used to help install programs

[nihil]

Let me assure you that I DO NOT c &p.....................that is the second time this weird bug has happened...last time it only repeated the message once?????.........I will need to look at that.

I must admit that I got frustrated with XP Pro and sort of gave up on it several months ago.

I would recommend starting from scratch and doing a complete re-install of XP...I guess that you have tried the repair facility and it hasn't worked?

Also, you might like to try the PC-cillin website and run their "housecall", just to be sure you are completely rid of your viral problems (do this first of course).

If you have really given up, then I would not recommend Win98, as it is past its "sell by date", Me is the earliest I would contemplate, but I have been using 2k Pro on several machines for quite a while, and would say that it is pretty good (by MS standards )

Cheers!

[Next2cheeze]

Well, I'm hoping to just downgrade as it now is my final decision.

IF I DOWNGRADE, Would I lose all saved information including Current installed programs , Media (mp3 songs..), Games and the contents of "My Documents" folder as I revert back to a previous Windows version?

(Windows XP Professional downgrading to Windows 2000, or 98SE [most likely Windows 2000...])

I know I could just back it up... but it would be pretty much well easier (not to mention lazier =] ) if I could do it straight foward without losing any info.

*last post, I think, I hope so... 'cause I feel like i'm bothering the antionline community (well since it's only for Internet Security)

- thanks for all the help pecosian, nihil, mobscene, blue_wolf,neutron...

[Pecosian]

Unless you upgraded and saved your old OS you will have to format and start fresh to go backwards in the windows timeline. If you want to save you files and they aren't encrypted through NTFS then you can also just wipe your windows folder from dos and should be able to re-install without loosing everything. All your registry entries for games and programs would be gone though so if they're not re-established when you run the program again then you may have to re-install them if something doesn't work quite right.