Just thought I’d let anyone having the same problems as me know how I ended up solving them!
Basically it appears that there are a couple of updates available on Windows update that are marked as optional, but which turn out to be not-so-optional…
the cuplrits are :
Just in case you can’t read that – the numbers are :
KB943729 – Group Policy preference Client Side Extension for windows Vista x64 , and
KB937286 – Update for windows Vista for x64 based systems.
I dont know whether the KB937286 had anything to do with the problem, but since it was a general update I installed it anyway.
The exception I was getting referenced Group Policy, so i suspect the KB943729 was the clincher.
anyway! I’m happy again, My system appears to be back in one piece, and I’m just about to start on those pixel shaders!
see y’all in a jiffy!