New system; RnR 4.2 plays dead...

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Have searched long and hard but am getting desperate for possible reasons why the RnR 4.2 on my new x61 won't respond anymore. When I first got it a month ago I updated RnR from 4.0 to 4.2 (uninstalling older v. first); created an initial base backup; and all seemed fine. But now -- if the app opens at all -- it will only go so far as to pretend it's commencing a backup, but then just hangs forever with a blank status bar. Have made sure all related services are running; have no 'unconventional' software whatsoever, or other backup-type apps running; turned off AV & FW; almost nothing has changed since that successful base backup; I know the system is clean; I tried doing a RnR 'repair,' then a removal and reinstall; checked for relevant matrix updates... Still no dice.

The only possibly-'non-standard' thing I can think of that I've done since the base backup was to permanently install the Windows Recovery Console onto the main HDD. Tried searching that as culprit, but no luck. Can installing that (as opposed to just inserting the XP CD and running it as needed) change the MBR or something, such that RnR can't function anymore? (Note, the console did update itself via MS' site during install -- didn't just install offline from I386.) If so, will simply removing the Windows Recovery Console per standard procedure (e.g., the process posted at Microsoft's site) do the trick?

TIA!!

P.S... I have seen that others have had different probs w/ RnR v. 4.2... But I haven't even checked yet if I have any of those as well, e.g. inability to run chkdsk or get into safe mode. (Guess I dread finding out lol). Maybe this is just a bum version for many... But can RnR versions be downgraded? I'm thinking I've heard they can't be...

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To answer my own question: Turned out that when I'd try to do a new backup, scheduler_proxy.exe wasn't starting up with the rest of the app, and needed to (even tho I only do backups on-demand). I did in fact have it unchecked in msconfig's startup area, but I have it that way on another Lenovo machine too and it doesn't affect the ability to do backups on-demand. Whatever. Rather than re-check scheduler_proxy in msconfig (FYI, it appears it's not the same process as the one controlled by 'TVT Scheduler,' in Services), I just made a shortcut to it on my desktop, and I double click it before doing my on-demand RnR backups.