IT WORKS!!!! used the usher's method, or dencorso's guidelines till step 6 I can now enter safe mode with 2GB installed and the system is very stable, I burned a few cds, flashed the firmware of my SCSI burner, no memory problem whatsoever couple of things, probably obvious, probably not.....bear with me I'm still such a noob 1)This one is really, really weird When I enter safe mode, my USB mouse doesn't work, even there's NO POINTER, it's like disappeared BUT if take a memory module off, then it works no problem. Put the 2nd memory module back in, used a USB to PS/2 adapter, rebooted. Now the pointer reappeared, but still I can't move it Rebooted again, entered BIOS options and "disabled USB mouse support". Now the mouse finally works even in safe mode. 2)I actually reinstalled windows for 2 times. The first time also went good, however I installed Office XP as I had a feeling that's what messed things last time. And as expected, couldn't boot into safe mode. There must be something in the Office XP engine that **** with memory settings, but whatever I'm not gonna risk again. I'll probably install either Office 2000 or 97