The past two messages are reassuring, and I'm grateful.

I did run Updater in XP mode and it made no difference. But I've discovered I only have the "searching for" problem with the original, default Poser 4 characters and objects and not with those since added or developed. I have now deleted the originals (don't understand what I did to resurrect them in the first place) and things are back to normal. Knowing that I don't need Updater is, as I say, very reassuring; it seems I was chasing down a non-existent problem.

Thanks to all. Sorry to confuse you.