Planning Help Request for Advanced Profile

***HISTORY***
Using Drupal 5 and advanced profile with nodeprofile. Followed instructions; installed modules. Fear I've mixed up directions for using original drupal profile with adv. profile and using node profile with adv. profile. Results so far are confusing. cck fields? Categories?
Panel relationships?

Where to start? What order?

***QUESTION***
Ready to start from scratch.

I'd appreciate comments on best way forward for the following goal(s):

***GOAL***
Interested in making several fields available in both registration form (profile) and also on a) user acct pages (or other panels or page(s) about the user AND also a page summarizing those fields for all users.

For example, listed in order of priority, A.) group, state, country fields would be drop down menus on the registration form and B.) also in the My Account (or a panel) page.

C.) Ultimately, would like to make a view to show those fields for all users, D.) hopefully editable by an admin all at once (on a single page with drop down menus available).

Thank you,

David