Ok, just to keep you in track of the process and to ask you for some help (again!)
I started my DAW from scratch. Installed XP, SP1, drivers, DirectX 9.0a, did the necessary tweaks and installed programs (but not VST or DX plugins and left the Services un-touched this time...oh, I disabled the System Cache too as it is somehow difficult to max 1GB of RDRAM!).
Everything was PERFECT! My PC was flying! No pops/no clicks! So, it was not SX to blame after all!

*BUT* I then installed all DX and VST plugins (rebooting only when I was asked to)... Now, whenever I go to run a DX plug-in I get the messages application X "eccountered an error and needs to close" etc etc....
So, it seems that I have to do it again. I suspect that what caused it might be one (or more) of the following:
1) SP1
2) DirectX 9.0a
3) The way I installed DX plugins (without rebooting after EACH installation)
I need your experience regarding these. Should I avoid SP1? Should I stick to DX 8.1? Should I reboot after EACH plugin installation (even if I am not asked to?)?
Thank you for your help!
P.S. The rest of the system uses the latest non-beta drivers (BIOS, Graphics card, Motherboard chipset)
<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: rodos1979 on 2003-07-05 23:35 ]</font>