Good morning Rossby, Jim and TSS!   Thanks for your input.

What I'm doing for the moment  is making sure to apply the security patches, malicious software removal tools and such that are automatically downloaded to the desktop separately from the SP3 update.  Since I'm planning to keep this desktop a bit longer than originally anticipated, the upgrade appears to be (sigh just sigh) inevitable.

Although many have complained about problems with Vista, I got very lucky there.....not one at all. Never had a major problem with XP, Home and Professional, either. The technology gods have been reasonable.  ;)

And what fun!  Windows 7 is due in 2010.  Whoopie. For what date should I schedule the party?

;)

Hetty