Sorry this will be long, but there is a travel connection.

I spent all Wednesday working to fix my laptop which had frozen thanks to software conflicts among my ISP-issued modem, MS LiveOneCare (I know, I was warned), and the latest MS patches via Automatic Updates.

I now know more than I want about booting in Safe, Diagnostic and Selective modes. I've uninstalled the modem, and turned off the LiveOneCare and Automatic Updates services. The last means that I can no longer download any patches from MS (a mixed blessing), but I don't think I can solve that problem without a clean install of the OS (and I can't do that until I return to the US next month).

I'm now connecting via a Netgear router/modem with built-in firewall. I don't think the LiveOneCare FW and AV are operating (since I have their services turned off), although my "Security Center" says they are.

I'd like to install some AV software (maybe AVG) and have at least the original WinXP Pro firewall working, but I think I'll have to uninstall the LiveOneCare software to do that. I'm afraid to start and uninstall in what is now "normal" mode (in case it causes another freezeup). Is there any reason that I shouldn't do the uninstall/install via Add/Remove Programs if I boot in Safe Mode?

Or should I just cross my fingers and wait until I'm home (where I have the boot CDs)?

Expert advice needed, please.

would System Restore help? Just restore to a date before you installed the software.

I'm afraid not. The modem and LiveOneCare software had been installed for a long time.

After the freeze-up, my first attempt to correct was to try a System Restore to the day before, when everything had been working perfectly, but it didn't help. That's when I went to the Diagnostic and Selective Startups.