Just to add to this, it appears anything to do with opening the registry or even if i type in regedit in the run box, the blue screen comes up.

Use System Restore, then go back and apply updates one by one until you figure out which one causes the registry to blow up.

Click Start-->All Programs-->Accessories-->System Tools-->System Restore

Note: Make sure your virus software is up to date and run a scan on the machine! You being unable to run regedit concerns me...try running regedit after the system restore to insure the problem didn't already exist. That sort of behavior stinks of virus.

...restore back to before the updates were installed. Go to Windows update and pick a custom install and install each update one by one with a restart after each one until you find out which one caused it. Once you've figured out which update it is you can use System Restore again and try uninstalling Norton before the update...if the problem goes away until Norton is reinstalled then contact Norton's support group with the name of the update that's causing the problem so they can send you an update or work on a solution with Microsoft.

system rstore doesnt work. Uninstalled the updates and as i was doing it, a warning box came up which said some to the tune of, "programs such as adaware may not function correctly" wish it had of told me this before i installed them.
Does the XP disk have a repair feature on it, instead of having to do a full installation again??

cheers
mike

How to repair Windows XP:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...&Product=winxp

Maybe try uninstalling Service Pack 2 and then reinstalling - could knock it back in line...make sure you turn on System Restore as well if possible. Good luck!