[Chickensoup]

Will do. I am posting from the poor baby now. My children were secretly cheering. Their language arts programs and some math programs as well as my work are all on this computer. I use AVG virus protection and Zone alarm

[2111USMC]

If you can afford it, get a Maxtor or other external hard drive for backup.

Sometimes you can get them on sale for a $100 or so for a 200 to 500 GB unit.

It definitely saved our butts in the office.

Everything breaks, eventually.

[AFreeBird]

I use AVG virus protection and Zone alarm

Please tell us you have a hardware firewall as well.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Their language arts programs and some math programs as well as my work are all on this computer.

I've been following this operation with a bowl of popcorn. Very glad to see you were able to get back into Winders.

Now, here's a very good suggestion:

Go to this link. Download the ISO file of a utility called "PING" and simply burn it to a CD. It will boot your PC into a Linux variant and will allow you to make an image of your whole hard drive. Use this in combination with a decent size (160Gb +) USB external hard drive.

With the new USB drive plugged in and turned on at boot up you can send the drive image there and if your hard drive tanks, you'll have an image to restore back to a new hard drive.

The USB drive is also very handy for backups of docs and the kid's schoolwork. Ya just GOTTA have backups.

[editor-surveyor]

"Will do. I am posting from the poor baby now."

Now get a "one touch" USB drive to transfer all your important files to so that you won't ever be totally stranded again. Be sure to use the "export" functions on your browser for your favorites, and on your email program for your address book. Also backup the 'user' data in the windows subdirectories.

[don-o]

I suggest this website for a look concerning malware and viruses

http://www.cybertechhelp.com/forums/index.php

You will need to register. Then you want to go to the cybersafety forum. There you can start a thread.

Describe the problem, what you have done. Also download “Hijack This” (from link at the site.) Run a scan, which will create a log that you can post in your thread. That will get you started

I have used that site a couple of times and they are very good. It’s a bit slow - they are all volunteers.. But, they helped me get rid of several problems that had cropped up.

In fact, my AVG was infected.