OH YEAH!!! WOO!!!

I solved the problem! The problem that affected three games - TSF included. I updated the nVidia drivers to Detonator XP version 2.8.00!

I know I must sound like a total PC newbie to say that, but I've been around PCs for years. This is just the first time I own my OWN PC, and am in charge of the settings and configurations, and as far as that is concerned, I am a rookie. So, even with you guys (mostly you Defalcon) saying that Windows XP drivers are total crap and to upgrade my video drivers, I was really, really concerned about downloading beta drivers.

Then I remembered - I've already downloaded fanmade games and programs onto my PC! If I can trust them, than CERTAINLY I can trust a company like nVidia. Maybe Microsoft didn't certify the driver and give it their official "thumbs up", but it's also not like otherwise the program is garbage and has a certified "avoid this crap" warning on it. THIS is why Windows Update didn't download it for me, because it's beta. Maybe Microsoft never signed it because they don't want to admit that the Windows XP drivers are terrible, but they certainly are. And now that I downloaded it, no problems are visible but all three games work fine! That's done, corrected, and if I have problems I'll just go back to the previous driver.

So I thank you for all your help you guys. You understand I didn't want to find out the hard way whether downloading it would be wise or not. But, I've checked all my other drivers, my settings, I tried reloading all those games, disabling unnessary tasks running in the background - everything. I decided I should just download it and stop annoying you! So for all the trouble I've caused you to post and post and scratch your heads over nothing, I sincerely apologize

Now I can just concentrate on playing it and maybe I'll play you guys online too! (I'm a total online-gaming newbie, even a newbie to chatting, but you gotta start somewhere, right?)