I've just done a clean install of Vista Home Premium - then installed
Visual Studio 2005 Express C# - and SP1 - and the Windows Update for
it.

But I can't get Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Configuration to run
(from Control Panel \ Administrative Tools) - every time I open it #,
it looks as though it is starting, opens up a window showing the MMC
console root, .NET Framework 2.0 in the tree and a pane with all the
tasks I'd expect (like Manage the Assembly Cache) - then promptly pops
up a windows saying "Microsoft Management Console has stopped working"
giving me the options to check online for a solution or just close the
program.

The details it gives are as follows:

Description:
 Stopped working

Problem signature:
 Problem Event Name:    CLR20r3
 Problem Signature 01:    mmc.exe
 Problem Signature 02:    6.0.6000.16386
 Problem Signature 03:    4549af41
 Problem Signature 04:    mscorlib
 Problem Signature 05:    2.0.0.0
 Problem Signature 06:    4536f11f
 Problem Signature 07:    1518
 Problem Signature 08:    0
 Problem Signature 09:    System.IO.FileNotFoundException
 OS Version:    6.0.6000.2.0.0.768.3
 Locale ID:    2057

I've uninstalled and reinstalled, I've used system restore to go back
to a point before I did the first install, I'm logged on as an
administrator, I've tried the Run As Administrator option . . .

Has anyone else seen this?  Any clues about how I fix it?

Many thanks for any assistance.