Thanks Simonta - I think it will have to remain a 'mystery' and I'll just have to give it a minute or so before I go to 'User' in order to get a full tray. No group pol.

R.e allusers/ntuser.dat - I just don't know - I've had one since W2000 and others as per my link think it exists too. I've had a peek using Mr O's prog 'loadhive', and since it doesn't seem to be the 'culprit' anyway it matters not. I'll run HJT and see if there are any clues there.

I have 4 XP systems in the house, and as regards "all Users", 1 has neither NTUSER.DAT or .POL, 2 have .POL and one has .DAT.

The 2 with .POL are, I believe, because I am using local group policy settings (childrens' PCs).

I am also surprised that 1 PC has an All Users NTUSER.DAT at all! However, it is definitely there, and looking at the date would seem to have been created at the time that Windows was installed (and not modified since).

SD