need uncheck "Hide Protected Operating System Files" and check "Show Hidden Files Folders and Drives" did you do both
b-r-a-v-o i shall say. You sir, are definitively right. I have found the file previously on my friggin' QUEST but discarded it thinking it was related to my XP install on that partition... So today's lesson: Boot is issued from the System partition which isn't necessary your OS partition Kudos for pointing that out Mr Jinje and shame on me...