Is there a possibility that the original was Vista related? I haven't got it myself, but the new OS appears to come with flashy clocks.
If the link in post #2 is the actual one you are looking for, did you re-install 'Google Desktop' when you went back to XP; it wont work without it (as the link is a Google plug-in)? I'm sorry if that's a statement of the obvious, but sometimes it is just that (!).