[FrayAdjacent]

I am having a similar problem, but haven't tried to lower the top in a few weeks.

Some changes were made around the 2001 model, so some components that might affect it might be different.

Some conditions have to be met for the top to operate - The speedometer should be registering 0, and the parking brake must be set (the light in the dash needs to be illuminated). If the parking brake light does not come on, or is intermittant, it's a cheap easy fix. The switch is about $5. Next is the top latch switch. Mine appears to work, since when I unlatch the top, the windows lower as they should, and when I latch it, or jam a finger in there, they raise again. A reputable Porsche wrench on PPBB advised he's seen a top latch switch seem to work OK, but the top didn't operate. It's about $30 for the switch.

The next area to check, of course, is your fusebox. Make sure nothing is blown. Although the top seems to share fuses with some other components, so if everything else is working... it's not likely a fuse.

The top relay/controller is next. It's the large component in the relay panel above where your left foot would be. It's easy to yank out. Given it's got some solid state logic, I'd tend to think that if it were faulty, it just wouldn't work. Period. They also cost $108.

According to the workshop manual, early model Boxsters had a few more switches, and in about 2000-2001, some of them were removed. From the workshop manual (which is almost useless), it looks like the 2001+ tops have some manner of switch on the control arm deal on either side. Pre 2001, there was a switch somewhere in the 'b pillar' area of the top.

Anyway, since I have not resolved my problems yet, and my p-brake light seems to be reliable... I'm going to start with the top latch switch. (also compounded by the fact that the small LED that's in the dome light assembly flickers or doesn't even come on... could be a bad ground up there)