Thanks for your thoughts.
I've tried to load these updates for a week or more with no success. The box recently accepted SP4 OK, and today I even tried the suggestions offered by MS but no luck.
I've got admin rights on the box so there's no problems there. Our LAN has around 40 boxes and is a mix of W2K and XP.
Oh! the perversity of inanimate objects!
I'm willing to try anything, and I'll keep trying.
STL