Failed fixing the updater. Automatic update service is running. Should i stop it first?

Now that I am looking into stuff, I have the side-by-side dlls in the Winsxs directory and comctl32.dll (user experience controlls) is loaded from WinSxS folder in addition to system32.
I remember that at one point I needed the debug and release version of mfc runtime libraries to avoid some linker errors. I think that ever since installing the debug version of mfc runtime libraries, I have the side-by-side stuff and the strange behavior of my IE running within the explorer process. Maybe i am off but if anyone is more familiar with the use of side-by-side dlls in XP, let me know.