Just to let everybody know, it didn't work. After installing IE 7 and then reinstalling DNS 8, DNS 9, and SP-1 according to the regimen laid out above, there was no improvement of the DNS capabilities, and a significant decline in the interface between DNS 9 SP-1. Whenever I had both IE 7 and DNS open simultaneously, and if I utter the words "click close", the CPU usage would run away to an immediate 100%, freezing the computer until I was able to close IE 7 manually. Oddly enough, the runaway CPU usage would not occur if I use the words "click file exit". Go figure.

Removing IE 7 brought the system back to where I had started, still laden with a semi-functioning DNS program with many annoying traits described by myself and numerous others in earlier posts, such as the spacing problems unless one utilizes DragonPad, the need to say "n+1" in order to get "n" in the number of lines or spaces or characters when giving commands, the sporadic ability to use keyboard commands such as "press enter", and on and on and on . . .

In regard to Stapleton's suggestion, I would be more than willing to throw in a live chicken if I was assured that a new patch or service pack was available.

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Why it is working, I do not know. But, as soon as I ended the utility program called "ctfmon.exe" it appears that all of my keyboard commands are working once again, at least until I reboot. It also appears that each time I boot up, I can use the Task Manager to end that specific utility program that is causing the problems.

Lunis, that leads to the inevitable followup questions:

a) Is the utility program "ctfmon.exe" necessary for other reasons?

b) Is there a simple way to disconnect the utility program "ctfmon.exe" from being started when I initially boot up, to avoid the hassle of doing so through the Task Manager each time?

c) What are the potential unintended consequences of eliminating or disconnecting the utility program "ctfmon.exe"?

For some strange reason, my brain still insists that whoever invented the utility program "ctfmon.exe", had a reason to do so. I know that's a silly naïve thought.

This was a non-issue because the version 9 upgrade performed the full installation, without ever asking for the version 8 CD.

Lunis, thank you.

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Using DNS 9.10 SP-1 preferred on windows XP professional SP2 on laptop w/2Gb ram 2.13 GHz 75 GB, Plantronics DSP headset/mic.

A huge thank you goes to Jomark and Dana for leading me in the right direction to the best instructions possible to permanently disable the "ctfmon.exe" utility program. For any of you lookerson who are having any of the same problems with DNS 9 that I detailed in previous postings, the reference that worked most thoroughly and effectively was:

Thanks are also due to Lunis, J-Mac and Graham. It is impossible to measure the assistance provided by this and other forums.

How nice it is to be using DNS 9 the way that it was intended to be used!

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