In a most mysterious manner, and without knowing just when it happened, or why, I have apparently recently lost the "Windows picture and fax viewer" file, that I regularly used for slideshows. I'm thinking I should blame MSFT's automatic security updates for the problem, but can't prove that. In a search for the file, it is not to be found. I think it was formerly in my C:\program files\ folder. Since I can't find the file, I'm reluctant to execute XP's "Restore" utility, thinking I cannot restore what has apparently been deleted or corrupted. Any wizard advice on this mystery will be greatly appreciated.

I am not sure if this is what your talking about, but I recently done some tweaks and turned some stuff off in system properties then advanced button then performance settings. I went back in there and set it for windows to choose whatis best for my computer and it is working again. that is the windows picture viewer!. Steve

Kelly's Korner has some very handy XP utilites, one of which is a reg file to restore the Picture and Fax Viewer. http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm Number 80, and click the word RESTORE to get the download. Krystyna

Thanks for the help several of you have tried to give. Appreciated! The secret of my problem was apparently, that somehow, Quik Time PictureViewer had become my default viewer, without a slideshow feature. With some guidance I: 1) went to a photo file, 2) RIGHT clicked on one of the photos 3) With an "Open with" menu displaying "Recommended programs" 4) I selected "Windows Picture and Fax Viewer" to be "Used all the time" for such files, as opposed to "Quick Time's PictureViewer application" that had become (somehow) the default viewer in my system. Amazing how much difference just a RIGHT click can make from a LEFT click sometimes! I will bookmark Krystyna's suggested wedsite: http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm Thank you.