to give credit where due... I didn't pull the solution from thin
air :) Thank goodness for Google. I found the fix after a quick
search.
Many thanks to windowsnetworking.com

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[url]http://www.windowsnetworking.com/kbase/WindowsTips/WindowsXP/Registry[/url]...

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"You can use the Group Policy editor, gpedit.msc, to manage XP Start
Menu options:

User Configuration \ Administrative Templates \ Start Menu and Taskbar

[ Under the Standard tab (at the bottom), there's a setting "Force
classic Start Menu".
Right-click, select Properties. Then change value to Disable. Then
press OK.
It should work immediately. ]

You can also set them directly via the registry using the registry
key:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
\Explorer

The registry entries are DWORD values. A value of 1 is enabled, and a
value of 0 is disabled:

* Policy: Disable the new simple Start Menu
Description:Disables the new simple Start menu and forces the
classic Start menu.
Registry Value: NoSimpleStartMenu

"