[petuniasevan]

the heck with virus software since it is money-grubbing anyway. But, now I am in a serious bind

NOW do you believe the antivirus software is worth it? I do. I've received email viruses (thanx to bro and his unprotected computer), web viruses, malicious Java codes, and some nasty Trojan horses. I'm using Norton Antivirus software. It has alerted me, protected the hard drive, and quarantined all viruses for me to destroy. The cost is nothing compared to the problems you're now having.

Do you have your Windows start disks?
I recommend formatting your hard drive and starting over; the virus has apparently done too much damage to salvage any data.

FIRST THING before you ask that newly cleaned-up hard drive to access the Internet or Outlook Express: INSTALL AN ANTIVIRUS PROGRAM.
Otherwise this WILL happen again, and again.

[rwfromkansas]

I believe it is worth it now...no kidding. I basically thought the most likely way I could get a virus would be to open an attachment. Virus e-mails look so obvious I always can spot the suckers and don't need software. But, Outlook Express has a bug that lets them send it to you just by previewing a message.

[John Farson]

web viruses, malicious Java codes, and some nasty Trojan horses. I'm using Norton Antivirus software

I may live to regret it, but I don't keep anti-virus software running. Some anti-virus packages perform so poorly that they are almost like having a virus.

Instead, I don't read email with Outlook, disable all Active-X, Java, & javascript on all but a few trusted pages, disabled file sharing, and deleted Microsoft Scripting Host -- and I regularly back-up files I can't afford to lose. My computer runs much faster without Antivirus software running all the time.