Do you have a slave drive or an external drive?
Then put all ya files to it or it would be CD/DVD wich is a long lengthy prosess or transfer files over a network to another PC.

I think your XP has become corrupted in some way?

Will backing up after the clean install, before any file additions speed my process should I ever have to do this again? I've heard if you don't name the backup correctly, you can have a hard time installing the backup, can you tell how it would be named?

Put all your files as in music/videos/paper work to an external HDD/CD/DVD etc.DO THIS FIRST.

Then do a reformat of your computer.

Can I use Acronis to make a backup to my ext. drive that includes everything except the OS? how would I? I'm a total noob on it - I've only made full backups of my c drive. Thanks man, Shep

Sorry I have never used that programm.
Do you have another HDD you could use as a main drive then no need to backup any thing.As every thing would be still there.But the main drive would then be used as a slave.

I don't have room in my pc for any more, I am gonna figure out Acronis, back up the data and do a clean install, then reload my data from Acronis. I'll let ya know how I fare. I appreciate your help and patience. Donation on way again, you guys are the best.