Anything is also possible with shoddy third party software. I wouldn't be so quick to blame MS for another manufacturers drivers messing up parts of a system. This is especially tru when they are using the USB subsystem. I had an ADSL USB modem back in 2000 that cmae with a driver CD from my ISP that would completely confuse Windows 2000 forcing a re-install. a new CD arrived two days laterEverything is possible with M$.