Okay. You guys are great. Clearly the collective wisdom is not to throw money at the problem - but figure the problem out. Owbist - in my thread on not connecting my husband's vista laptop to our network, I tried quietly, methodically to troubleshoot the issues - to no avail. I found lots of similar frustrations on google - but no solutions that worked - and I think I tried them all - at least to the best of my ability. thanks for those great, easy-to-follow instructions to transfer to an external hard drive. He'll want to do that anyway - even if he keeps this computer. This computer guy is pricey - but where I am in DC they seem to fall in the $125-140/hour range - and they can usually fix a problem. Others that charge $40-75 - that the uninformed think are good - but their know-how is less than what I find here. I tried a few of those locally recommended guys - and they accomplished the simple tasks but also made mistakes I had to hire the more expensive guy to fix. My main complaint with him is that he's wedded to his biases - he hates Vista - so his recommendation is usually to avoid or ditch it. Our struggles with Vista seem to often be how often we're blocked from things or performing simple tasks have all sort of obstacles - for "safety's" sake. Thanks to everyone for pointing out that Windows 7 is just a revamped Vista. I got my first issue of Smart Computing and they were tauting it and described some features I thought I'd love. DA - if W8 is in process, is there any indication of what it will be like? Probably worth waiting for - or at least waiting to hear more about how Windows 7 is panning out. So I'll keep plugging away on my other thread to get him connected. If I don't succeed by Tuesday, the computer guy will come and fix it. I guess we'll stop there. Thanks. Lynn.

Zep, I finally had some time this morning... so I downloaded HijackThis and followed your instructions to the letter. Here's the uninstall list. Now, my husband and I took a look at it and he said "if it's just installed and not running then it's not a problem". Is that true? 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) Ad-Aware Adobe Bridge 1.0 Adobe Common File Installer Adobe Flash Player ActiveX Adobe Flash Player Plugin Adobe Help Center 1.0 Adobe Photoshop CS2 Adobe Reader 8.1.3 Adobe Stock Photos 1.0 AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English AOLIcon Apple Mobile Device Support Apple Software Update avast! Antivirus Broadcom Advanced Control Suite Canon IJ Network Scan Utility Canon IJ Network Tool Canon MP Navigator EX 1.1 Canon MX850 series Canon MX850 series User Registration Canon My Printer Canon Utilities Easy-PhotoPrint EX Canon Utilities Solution Menu Cardiris Cisco Systems VPN Client 4.8.02.0010 Creative MediaSource Dell Digital Jukebox Driver Dell Driver Reset Tool Dell Media Experience Dell Support Center (Support Software) DellSupport DMX Update FileZilla (remove only) Free Solitaire 3D 1.7 Google Desktop Google Earth Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer HijackThis 2.0.2 Hotfix for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (KB953595) Hotfix for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB947864) Hotfix for Windows Media Format 11 SDK (KB929399) Hotfix for Windows Media Player 11 (KB939683) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB942288-v3) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB952287) ImgBurn (Remove Only) Intel Matrix Storage Manager Intel(R) 537EP V9x DF PCI Modem Internet Explorer Default Page iPod for Windows 2006-03-23 IrfanView (remove only) iTunes J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 10 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 11 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 6 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 9 Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2_03 Java(TM) 6 Update 11 Java(TM) 6 Update 3 Java(TM) 6 Update 7 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 6 Update 1 Learn2 Player (Uninstall Only) Macromedia Flash Player 8 MailWasher Free Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2005 Microsoft Excel 97 Microsoft Internationalized Domain Names Mitigation APIs Microsoft Money 2005 Microsoft National Language Support Downlevel APIs Microsoft Office Access MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Access Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 Microsoft Office Excel MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Groove MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Groove Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office InfoPath MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office OneNote MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Outlook MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office PowerPoint MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (French) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (Spanish) 2007 Microsoft Office Proofing (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Publisher MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Shared MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Shared Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Word MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Picture It! Premium 10 Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition Installer Microsoft Plus! Photo Story 2 LE Microsoft Publisher 97 Microsoft Silverlight Microsoft Streets and Trips 2005 Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0 Microsoft Works Microsoft Works 2005 Setup Launcher Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Microsoft Word Modem Event Monitor Modem Helper Modem On Hold Mozilla Firefox (3.0.5) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB925672) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB927978) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB936181) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430) My Way Search Assistant NVIDIA Drivers OpenOffice.org Installer 1.0 Paint Shop Pro 7 Photo Click Photodex Presenter Picasa 3 PIXMA Extended Survey Program PowerDVD 5.5 Presto! PageManager 7.15.20 ProShow Gold Qualxserve Service Agreement Quicken 2007 QuickTime RealPlayer Basic ScanSoft OmniPage SE 4 Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB951550) Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB951944) Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB958439) Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906) Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906) Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB958437) Security Update for Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 (KB950130) Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (KB951338) Security Update for Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 (KB950114) Security Update for Microsoft Office system 2007 (KB954326) Security Update for Microsoft Office system 2007 (KB956828) Security Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 (KB956358) Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB898458) Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB923723) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB928090) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB931768) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB933566) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB937143) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB938127) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB939653) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB942615) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB944533) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB950759) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB953838) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB956390) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB958215) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB960714) Security Update for Windows Media Player (KB952069) Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB911565) Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB917734) Security Update for Windows Media Player 11 (KB936782) Security Update for Windows Media Player 11 (KB954154) Security Update for Windows XP (KB938464) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941569) Security Update for Windows XP (KB946648) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950760) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950762) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950974) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951066) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376-v2) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951698) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951748) Security Update for Windows XP (KB952954) Security Update for Windows XP (KB953839) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954211) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954459) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954600) Security Update for Windows XP (KB955069) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956391) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956802) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956803) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956841) Security Update for Windows XP (KB957095) Security Update for Windows XP (KB957097) Security Update for Windows XP (KB958644) Security Update for Windows XP (KB958687) Shockwave Shutterfly Plugin Sonic Audio module Sonic DLA Sonic MyDVD LE Sonic RecordNow Copy Sonic RecordNow Data Sonic Update Manager Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Spelling Dictionaries Support For Adobe Reader 8 Spybot - Search & Destroy TrueSwitch Wizard Verizon TurboTax ItsDeductible 2005 TurboTax ItsDeductible 2006 TurboTax Premier 2007 TurboTax Premier Investments 2006 Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB952142) Update for Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 Help (KB957249) Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 Help (KB957252) Update for Office 2007 (KB946691) Update for Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (kb959141) Update for Windows XP (KB951072-v2) Update for Windows XP (KB951978) Update for Windows XP (KB955839) VC 9.0 Runtime Verizon Broadband Toolbar (IE only) Verizon Broadband Toolbar Firefox only Verizon Online Help and Support Verizon Servicepoint 1.5.22 Viewpoint Media Player WD Diagnostics WebCyberCoach 3.2 Dell WexTech AnswerWorks Windows Genuine Advantage v1.3.0254.0 Windows Media Format 11 runtime Windows Media Format 11 runtime Windows Media Player 10 Windows Media Player 11 Windows Media Player 11 Windows XP Service Pack 3 WinZip X-Win32 7.1 ZoneAlarm ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker

Here's my hijackthis file Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 1:22:25 PM, on 2/23/2010 Platform: Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.01.3504) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16385) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastUI.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast5] "C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\avastUI.exe" /nogui O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') O13 - Gopher Prefix: O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast5\AvastSvc.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Net (rpcnet) - Absolute Software Corp. - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\rpcnet.exe O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing) -- End of file - 4949 bytes Nancy

Debbie, to use wireless cellular service, you must be near a tower, so in the mountains that may not be practical. Check that out first. Most plans that I've read about require a 2 year contract and the cost is around $60 per month. I doubt any sort of prepaid card is available for data service (which is different from voice service). If there is wireless service available in a hotel, coffee shop, etc. you simply connect via the card in your laptop. Check the various carriers' websites for maps of their service areas, etc. Verizon is buying Alltel, so your choices are probably Verizon, AT & T, and Sprint. I don't know if there are other carriers of data service or not. This service is provided via a USB modem or an "air card" of some sort. Each carrier has their own which you must purchase when you sign up for service.