Ok folks... if you're using WinXP 64bit this should work to remedy the crashes to desktop any time you enable PB and/or if you're crashing as the game is loading:

- Download pbsetup.exe

- Run PBSetup as an administrator as this setup will install a Windows service so that you can run ETQW without admin rights and still use PB.

- Once PBSetup is installed, run it, grant it firewall access when prompted if you're using ZA or AVG or whatever. Click "Check for updates." This will update the PB software if needed.

- Click Add Game, add Enemy Territory:Quake Wars, and browse to your ETQW install directory.

- Click Add Game a second time. Again add Enemy Territory:Quake Wars, but this time, browse to this location:

C:\Documents and Settings\YOURWINXPUSERNAME\Local Settings\Application Data\Enemy Territory Quake Wars Public Beta

You should now have two games labeled ET:QW with their respective game paths listed.

- Click "Check for Updates"

You should see both game paths update to:

Client: v1.708 / A1313
Server: v1.273 / A1313 / C1.708

Run ETQW. You should no longer experience any crashes. Of course, I can't test this beyond what I've read and my own experience, but it seems to be helping a lot of folks who otherwise couldn't even launch the game or enable PB without crashing.

Let me know how it works out for ya.