Hi All
I run a computer reselling and service business in New Zealand. Just when I start feeling smug and happy at how well I can handle problems, a new one pops up to remind me that I don't know it all... yet...

Anyway, I have just built the following system for a business client:
- Albatron PX865PE Lite motherboard (socket 478, 800FSB, Intel 848P chipset)
- 1 x 120Gb Seagate SATA
- 1 x 80Gb Seagate SATA
- ATi Radeon 9800 Xtreme 256Mb Video
- 3.2Ghz 800FSB Prescott
- Adata 400Mhz DDR 1Gb DIMMs x 2 (total 2Gb)

My suppliers sent me the lastest version of the Windows XP Pro OEM install: "Oh goodie", I thought, "At last: a full version of XP with SP2 integrated". However, my joy was to turn to dismay , from dismay to disbelief , from disbelief to anger As soon as the install tried to actually install (after the initial copying of files to the hard disk), the system would lock solid with the Windows logo showing, and that little blue "Cylon" thing stuck somewhere in it's track after about 10 seconds. I thought, "I know, it's just trying to figure something out" (I am such the optimist... ), so left it for 5 minutes. Nope! So, I thought "Maybe some swamp gas interacted with the ozone layer and the light from Venus..." well, I gave it another 2 goes, and thought "Sod this!" So, I reformatted (full, not quick), and installed XP Pro with SP1. Yahoo! All was joy and happiness. Then I thought "Why don't I try installing SP2 from the MS-supplied CD? Everything went fine with the install. So, I dutifully restarted - oh crap, the frozen Cylon was back...

Needless to say, it was time for Mr. Reformat and Mr. Reinstall SP1. My concern is that, warts and all, this machine is going to "need" SP2 sometime in the next 6 months. I can't for the life of me think what little demon is giving the system grief. I am about to update the BIOS, but am understandably reluctant to try the SP2 update now that ALL the software is installed. I may yet try, and just ghost the entire drive onto the 80Gb secondary (which is there as a Photoshop scratch disk).

Any thoughts? I've read of a couple of threads regarding related SP2 problems, but no one seems to have had this exact "glitch". Thanks Uncle Bill for testing this so thoroughly...
Peter