[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

It appears that if the computer is worth keeping (not too old), then a trip to a repair facility is in order. You'd probably need to have your BIOS and other firmware 'reflashed' to specifications.

After that, i'd install a Linux distribution on the machine, dual boot. You don't have to USE it if you're not comfortable with it, but i'll let you know a little secret:

AVG antivirus has a Linux version. You can run it out of linux, and scan your WINDOWS partition.

i've been running OpenSuSE 11.1 on this old 2005 HP Pavilion since it came out. i don't need or miss Windows. Be advised though, Linux is NOT Windows . It's not better or worse, but it IS different. There is a learning curve. These days i wouldn't go on line with Windows. The next virus found in the wild that affects Linux will be the first one.

[Myrddin]

I've been a UNIX user/sysadmin since 1980. I didn't bother with Windows until 1985 when I wanted a bit more control over my graphics, a good printer driver and something a bit more capable than nroff MS macros coded with a "vi" editor. My idea of "fun" in that era was interfacing a TI9918A graphics chip to a Heathkit H8 computer and spending days with a copy of Foley and van Dam to write the graphics primitives libraries. It was all the amusement I could afford at that point in time.

Thanks for pointing out the AVG for Linux. That's a good find.

[Lady Jag]

In 84/85 I started with the Commodore 64 (on Q-Link, 300 baud) and briefly went to a primitive IBM, simple name I should remember.

Had Windows since it came out and never had much trouble. The only Windows OS’s I haven't had are 2000, vista & 7. Never had trouble with ME or 3.1 and loved 95.

A friend has Linux on one of several machines, has tried several Linux versions, and doesn't care for it. Seems it takes a certain type.