MySQL is 4.0.26 (I did try the version link in the Wiki server setup document, but it linked to 4.1.15 which has a GUI interface and I coudn't figure out how to get the SQL server to start)
Perl is 5.8.7.813 (the one linked in Wiki)

I'm going out of the city now, so I'll do some testing while I'm gone and post back on the weekend.
Thanks!

And you're sure,
you don't have any firewall ? sp2 xp firewall include ?
Perhaps a program no compatible with eqemu ?
that very very strange :(

Nope. I always turn off WinXP firewall - I run a personal freeware firewall called Sygate and I turned it off while I was testing this.
I tried uninstalling and re-installing everything (except Perl - no internet connection at the cottage) and still had the same problem. :(
I don't think it's an installed software problem. My laptop and desktop have different software installed, and different hardware (so different drivers).
Very little is installed on BOTH, only thing I can think of are standard programs I use for trouble shooting/support and cleanup - like RegCleaner and Dameware. All the programs like that I've used for a long time, and they've never had any problems with previous versions of EqEmu.

Yaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy!!!!!!
It works! :)
I used Dark Rouge Productions Server pack 2.0 auto installer from a blank slate, and then had to add a couple of database tweaks to MySql (adding thing like the minilogin info) - worked well!
I still have to check a few things, like up to date quests, and maps/aggro stuff - but it I was in testing and it seems okay.
I think the problem I was having was somewhere in the MySql database - world crashed when it was connecting to minilogin and verifying the database.
Thanks for the help and input!