After reading everyone's messages about how when playing a CD the sound goes in and out on win 2k but not if the mp3 is actually on the computer, I figured that it must be a problem with the op system. I was ready to take my computer back to the shop when I loaded up win xp that came with the original hd under warrantee(only have 5 days before the no lemon policy kicks out :) ) and there were no sound problems --- tried switching cd players around and everything -- 20 minutes of music without even a skip on win xp. Not so with win 2k. I'm sure glad it's not my computer. Though if anyone out there knows any way to tweak windows 2000 memory (and how much to do this) so the sound problem goes away, I'd like to know. The reason I think it is a memory issue with win 2000 is when ever I try to listen to a CD, run too many programs, or burn a CD or listen to Internet radio while copying disks the sound goes out and sometimes for good till a reboot. I also watch TV on the computer and I can't load that after running many programs, burn cds, ect… so I think that is related (especially when the computer auto-restarts itself when trying to burn CDs while watching TV.) I also know that windows 2000 is highly memory intensive... So anyone out there who knows a simple solution to this memory issue -- help! I like the security of win 2000 of being able to lock selective drives, which you can't do with xp so any help would be gladly appreciated. ---- (Would a good sound card with a whole lot of memory help me here or just loading up with more Ram?-->only answer if you've done this as a last resort and it worked...)

don't know what you mean about security in 2000. everything you can do in 2000 can be done in xp (pro). xp uses more memory than 2k and watching tv while burning cds? actually i've no idea what effect watching tv has on system resources. for the sort of demands you are putting on your comp i would recommend getting more ram.

Thanks dab, your comment pushed me to do some research and I found that if I went to a folder/tool menu/folder options/view/unclick "use simple file sharing" it works. Also I found that one can access the security features in xp home by going into safe mode...(which means that some where in the xp matrix there is a patch for that so you could access it in regular mode -- the patch being xp pro :) ) I also found that with xp my sound doesn't cut out...so far.... So I'm slowly making the upgrade on my other hard drive, reloading all the programs I had on 2000 and downloading their updates to make them more xp efficient...(it would be easier to just upgrade my HD I know...but it's not as stable as when one starts from scratch...so I've been told.)