Ok, i'll find out what a XP sevice pack 2 is and see if that's it. But i bought the laptop in sept and haven't downloaded anything like that, I did put in ms office. Anyway, i still think my evil firewall is to blame. I'll get at it, because i want limewire! i like limewire!!! I am going home for christmas i'll see if it works at home and then i'll know if the network here is to blame. But for now i think i'll drop this and work on my papers instead thanks for the info