(XP SP2)

Last week I trustingly ALLOWED Microsoft to install XP Service Pack 3 on my computer. Well, I should have looked before I leapt. Before you install it, check here:

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowForum.aspx?ForumID=2010&SiteID=17

More PROBLEMS getting it off. Once off, Disk Defrag wouldn't work...

During all this I did System Restore, undid System Restore, redid System Restore, a nightmare.

As a result of al this I have dozens and dozens of "files have been renamed to preserve their contents", such as alg(2).exe, alrsvc(2).dll. I even have a few with (2)(2). For each such file, there is a CORRESPONDING alg.exe, alrsvc.dll.

Is it okay to delete these files?I KNOW what you're talking about.

I've had the same thing happen to me when I installed a game called Phun.

Whenever I did a System Restore, it would keep the original Phun files, but a copy of them on the desktop as well (with (2) at the end of their filename).

It just means the files with a (2) are the most recent files. File without the (2) are files the computer restored.

I think it is ok to delete them, but I would keep them in your recycling bin for a few days to make sure everything is running properly.