Hi GuysSeen I may have damaged my WinXP installation..... I can no longer start Windows 'Help & Support'.Why would I want to you may ask? Well, I actually need to run the XP 'Compatability Wizard', but that wont run without Help & Support.So far I have started 'services.msc' and set EVERYTHING possible to 'Auto'.I have also run 'msconfig' and removed 'selective startup', so all items are ticked.I've also run 'Autoruns' and made sure there's a tick in the 'Help & Support' box for the registry entry.I've checked my last backup of Windows and it's the same.I'm now at a COMPLETE loss!!!!Can anyone please help?

Have you run System File Checker?

Yes, didn't help.

You went through my list .. right?Open the Help and Support service properties and click the LOGON TABCheck and see if its set to ENABLE or DISABLE... if its DISABLE set it to ENABLE/apply then click the general tab set the dropdown to AUTOMATIC, click Apply and and start the service from there. You may have to rebootThe only depend it has is Remote Proceedure Call which must be enabled now or other things would not function rightBut now you probably have services all messed up resetting things to AUTO so you need to find a list on the net or at MS that correctly lists the services and their default settings or you are going to have a worse mess on your hands.. that was a mistake.

Nick, my man!!!!As ever, you're a star! Yes, I used your list.It was EXACTLY as you suggested. Thankfully, I had a registry backup done BEFORE setting all to auto.This meant I just applied the reg backup, then did as you suggeted.I could kiss you:-eek

A service is not shut down and the footprint removed unless the LOGON TAB setting is DISABLEDThats why all those 'service shutdown' programs are a joke and nothing but a placeboThe only way a system is completely free of a service and its memory footprint is if its disable at LOGON and a reboot occurs