How can I do an exact copy from a 2000 PC to a new XP PC?

You need an application mover, and there is no guarantee that all apps can be transferred.

DO a google search for
software transfer program

I hope this helps !

better search in google

transfer software to new computer

Do you have any experience with any of these? Laplink says it does it all but was short on specifics. I have a business accounting application that I need to move because the installation process was s pain in the butt.

personality clone sounds as if it simply copies a user profile from the old to the new PC. I need to move entire applications. Not many apps install into it's own seperate directory anymore. Most have a habit of dispersing files into the windows system folder or elsewhere.

Because you have special apps, it is hard to say.

In any case I am sure that it copies files, registry entries and more in an effort to trasfer  programs from the old PC to the new one.

Like I said, there will be no guarantees, but it might be worth the price to try, and it may make a reinstall faster if the config files are copied over.

In any event, I would make sure I have an image backup of your new system beforehand so that in a worst case scenario, you can restore to a pristine system.

I hope this helps !

Please note, I was talking about PC Mover from Laplink

As I was also. Thank you but I think I'd better just reinstall everything. To use any of the apps that you suggested is too iffy because if it fails to do what I want, then I may end up with more time spent on it than if I had just straight out installed everything.

Good answer, not what I wanted to hear but you answered the question. Thanks again.