Thankfully, DSS Agent/Broderbund is not on PM 16, so that's not an issue for me. Randy, I searched the software in regedit. All my software was listed, but there was nothing for Printmaster or Broderbund. Mikie, I searched for Application Data\Printmaster folders and found a few in Word that I downloaded from Broderbund with some technical notes I wanted to keep. Would I need to delete these? Soooooo, I need to proceed with backing up my registry before tiptoeing into RegSeeker. I'm proceeding cautiously. These are new waters for me! :) I googled for info on backing up the registry and feel somewhat overwhelmed. I don't know if Microsoft is saying the same thing in two sets of directions or giving me two different procedures... ONE SET OF DIRECTIONS suggests I use my XP Home Ed CD: "Install Backup from the CD-ROM in Windows XP Home Edition" "The Backup utility is not included in the default installation of Windows XP Home Edition. The Backup icon is not present on the Start menu in Windows XP Home Edition, nor is Backup listed in Add Remove Programs for Windows XP Home edition. This article describes how to install Backup, which is included on the CD-ROM in the Valueadd folder. To use Backup, you have to install it manually. Note: Automated System Recovery is not a supported feature in Windows XP Home Edition using Backup, but Backup is provided on the CD-ROM as additional value to help back up critical system data. For additional information, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 302700 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302700/EN-US/) An Error Message Is Displayed When You Attempt to Use the Automated System Recovery Wizard Manually Install the Backup Utility To manually install Backup: 1. Double-click the Ntbackup.msi file in the following location on the Windows XP Home Edition CD-ROM to start a wizard that installs Backup: CD-ROM Drive:\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP 2. When the wizard is complete, click Finish." SECOND SET OF DIRECTIONS suggests downloading Guided Help. I downloaded it, but when it asked if I wanted it to run, I canceled it because I didnt know what would happen. The notes online say: "Guided Help is available to back up the registry. Guided Help can automatically perform the steps for you. The actions that this Guided Help performs cannot be undone after Guided Help is finished. For more information about Guided Help, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 915092 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/915092/) Description of Guided Help for Microsoft Knowledge Base articles Requirements to install and to use this Guided Help  You must be logged on to Windows by using a computer administrator account to install and to use this Guided Help.  You must be running Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Media Center Edition, or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition to install and to use this Guided Help. You must first download Guided Help." What method do you use to back up the registry? Thanks for your patience and help abreeze

Oliver wrote:- I do have Ad-Aware and I run it daily. It was free and updates itself regularly. I highly recommend it. Not true. Adaware is definitely free, however it requires updating manually. The latest update is SE1R157 dated 05 03 2007. You can see that information on your AdAware screen just about in the centre. Running it daily is overkill in my mind but of course if you are comfortable with that then keep right on. You do definitely need to be looking for thoe updates. I usually look for updates then run the program about every 2 weeks or so unless I have been surfing in doubtful places like free clipart sites etc. McAfee has come a long in the last couple of years, much improved. Your statement that Panda caused you to have the hard drive replaced is hard to fathom. Panda is an excellent program. If something else messed the drive it could have been wiped, formatted and had the software re-installed.

Thanks. I don't have REVO. Have noticed things about it in one of the computer magazines I get, so maybe this is the time for me to do something about that. But will it work even though REVO has been installed after the offending program?

Really should use the uninstaller & a reboot before deleting left over files & folders. When you install a program, most will write data to the registry.. the programs configurations. Which might include some items that run at startup. If you leave the registry items by deleting just folders rather than runing its unistaller - which will delete most registry items,, you may or may not discover at start up or at other times, errors when the registry tries to access some file you deleted. And with some programs, it might be a major error.