Imagecache presets, preview, etc. will not work at all!

This is my first support request not in the form of a comment so bear with me. I will try to explain everything I can.
First, I listed this as CRITICAL because I think it is. I have read documentation for over two weeks now and (mostly) all I see are people having issues with this module, and I have found NO fixes.

The problem is that (for me and alot of others) this module simply appears to be broken somehow ??
I did in-fact have it working with the same specs in a previous install, and then it just up and quit.
It shows no presets. and no node views. I have tried everything that is documented about this problem.

Settings:
Clean URL's on
file permissions (/files and after) are all set 775 - (I have tried almost all configs here, 777, 777sites folder, etc.)
imagecache folder is written - by module, not me
preset 1 (thumbnail) folder is written under imagecache folder -by module
preset 2 (fill_image) folder is written under imagecache folder - by module
file system: sites/default/files
Temporary directory: /tmp <---although I dont SEE this folder, maybe a problem? But I cannot change it. System will say folder not found.
php 5

Under the field settings path(s) I have tried everything from leaving it blank, to "imagecache/thumbnail/[user] and etc. (possible problem?)
All resolutions for images are set to 0 (no max limit)
thumbnail preset - field_1: 130pix x 100% height -max 1
full_image preset - field_2: 555pix x 100% height -max 4

Modules and versions:
Drupal 6.9 - clean install, not upgraded from 6.8
Admin Links 6.x-1.6
AdSense 6.x-1.0-beta3
Avatar Selection 6.x-1.5
CAPTCHA 6.x-1.0-rc2
Content Construction Kit (CCK) 6.x-2.1 -Includes: Content, Content Copy, Content Permissions, Fieldgroup, Number, Option Widgets, Text
Cumulus 6.x-1.1
CustomError 6.x-1.0
Daily 6.x-1.1
DB Maintenance 6.x-2.0-beta1
DHTML Menu 6.x-2.2
External Links 6.x-1.6
FCKeditor - editor 6.x-2.0-alpha4
FileField 6.x-3.0-alpha6
Flag content 6.x-1.x-dev
Form Defaults 6.x-1.0
Google Analytics 6.x-2.0
Hierarchical Select 6.x-3.x-dev
HTMLBox 6.x-1.0-beta5
ImageAPI 6.x-1.2 - ImageAPI, ImageAPI GD2 -I have NOT enabled imagemagik
ImageCache 6.x-2.0-beta5 - version:Grrrrrrrr, makin me mad
ImageField 6.x-3.0-alpha4
jQuery Update 6.x-1.1
lm_paypal 6.x-1.0
LoginToboggan 6.x-1.3
Mass Contact 6.x-1.0-beta2
Maxlength 6.x-1.x-dev
Pathauto 6.x-1.1
Profile Privacy 6.x-1.2
Poormanscron 6.x-1.0
Scheduler 6.x-1.3
Service links 6.x-1.0
Similar Entries 6.x-1.0
Site map 6.x-1.0
SMFforum Integration module 6.x-1.21
Tagadelic 6.x-1.2
Taxonomy Manager 6.x-1.0-beta2
Terms of Use 6.x-1.8
Token 6.x-1.11
User Badges 6.x-1.4
User registration notification 6.x-1.10
User titles 6.x-1.0-beta2
Workspace 6.x-1.3
Theme: Marinelli 6.x-2.6 (modded slightly)
Host: Startlogic.. yeah yeah, dont laugh its cheap and works.

So, I hope that I have covered it all.. Actually I hope that someone can diagnose this indamnable problem. I have tried and tried.. Its such an easy task when it works, but when broken I can't fix it.

Someone?... anyone? Help! and thanks.