Mark--You're with me in this, I can tell, but I've already tried that. Unless I have the entire program installed on the Win2000 side, I can't put in new drivers or "re"install it because it isn't already installed--being on the ME side is just as if it were in a different computer. I have tried to parse the programs out of those backup disks that HP sent, thinking that since I technically own this software I should be able to put it where I want in this computer, but there is no way. In a directory even like Windows Explorer they're gibberish (on purpose, I'm sure!).

I can go buy inexpensive programs for burning CD's or playing the DVD player from the Win2000 side, but I'd be better off just buying the new version of Roxio, for example, and installing it both places. Any time I'm in the computer store looking at these things and wondering if I should cough up $100, it seems silly. I save what I want to burn onto the D drive, and restart the computer and burn it from the ME side. It's a nuisance, but it's free. When I get to the point of working with my Dad's music, I have a partition set aside for music work, or might even add another hard drive. And I'll work from the ME side for that.

Dual platforms do have their applications, and on the whole I think this one works excellently. It does allow me to do what I planned--keep all of the functionality of the ME with it's gaming (the kids like that) and media tools, and have the strength of Win2000 for my word processing, editing, and in particular, Web Design work.

I have a friend who has a dual platform on his work computer with Linux and Windows, and he uses the Linux most of the time. I haven't tried that one yet, though the price is right!

SRS