a few things...

i updated my java, and it didn't make a difference. (it says i have the latest now, 1.6 update 3... is this not the case?)

i then deleted my lw folder (the one you specified, and lw was closed) and then restarted it. no dice.

i then uninstalled lw, and installed the beta: 4.17.3

brick wall gone!

so to me, its not my java or router or anything else, its something with lw in the last few versions, that they seemingly fixed in the beta. i wish they'd address the issue themselves publicly.

MANY MANY THANKS for your help!

now, new issue...

i still have my old incomplete folder, and the beta uses it, but it does not see any of the things in it that were from the previous lw install.

any idea how to get those things "imported" into the new lw install, and get lw to search for them?