Get that "someone" to fess up and say what that "something" was that they downloaded. Are you using AOL for your dial-up internet service, or are you just using the AOL service via your broadband Internet provider? If its the latter, I would seriously consider getting rid of AOL. Its far more trouble than it is worth.

Lynn, Are you using 'Windows XP', 'Vista', or some other operating system? You mentioned 'Superantispyware' removing "several spywares". Have you also run a full scan with your 'anti-virus' program? If not, update and run a full scan. Something else I overlooked when I read your initial post, I see you're using AOL 9.1. I'm still using AOL 9.0 SE, so there may be some changes to the way things are done in 9.1 as far as repairing the software. I'm not even sure they have the same features in 9.1 so let's forget about 'rebuilding the AOL adapter' for now. Someone else using that version of AOL will have to jump in here. If you have the 'AOL' icon down in the system tray (by the clock) you can right click that and see what options there are. System Restore is painless and if you don't get the results you want you just 'undo' the restore. If you had any kind of virus or spyware infection and you restore to a time when your machine was infected, yes, it will restore those infections, but you can always run your anti-virus and anti-spyware applications again to remove them. I can't say for certain whether or not 'system restore' will affect your bookmarks but it is always a good idea to back up anything on your computer that you cannot afford to lose or want the hastle of having to replace. There can never be enough said about the importance of backing up important data! I use Acronis True Image which makes an image of the complete hard drive, sector by sector, that will restore everything including operating system, programs, documents, pictures, data, etc. to the 'T'. This is on a second drive in my PC in case my primary drive should fail. I also have an external hard drive where I back up 'My Documents'. "I also ran ccleaner right after the updates (I thought at first that that was the problem) - should I rerun that as well?" No, running CCleaner again is not going to fix the problem, nor do I see where CCleaner would have created your problem, unless by chance, if you also used the 'Registry' feature in CCleaner, it may have removed something. Anytime you use any kind of registry cleaner it should have the option of making a backup in case things go wrong, which is exactly why most cleaners, some don't, have the backup option. Either that or create a 'system restore' point before you use it. Using a 'registry cleaner' is a hot topic. Some swear by them, others swear at them! I personally have use Macecraft 'Reg Supreme' for years with no ill effects. "There may have been an easier way to do this, but I just copied and pasted all the bookmarks I made_____". There is: Internet Explorer has an 'import/export' feature for transferring or backing up your cookies and favorites. Click on 'File' in the Menu bar at the top of the IE browser, select 'Import/Export', and follow the Wizard. You can save them to a file on your computer for retrieval later if you should need to do so using the same wizard. I made a folder called 'Backups' in the 'My Documents' folder where I store a copy of my 'cookies' and 'favorites'. In Firefox, I'm still using version 2.0.0.16, if you go to 'Bookmarks' in the Menu bar and select 'Organize bookmarks' and click on 'File', you'll find an 'Import' and 'Export' wizard. Drink some 'brave' juice and try the system restore first to see if that works. Witz

pinecone If you like AOL and are satisfied with it then great, but in most peoples opinion it is way over priced and very invasive and controlling from what I have read and heard. As an owner of a website that is updated every week AOL is my biggest head ache! When I get complaints that someone can't see my lastest updates it always comes from someone using AOL. Seems that AOL just cashe a page when you first visit it and just serves it backup to you the next time you visit the site. Re-freshing the page doesn't work and redoing settings in the browser the user has to change is the only solution, but why should I have to be the one that explains that to the AOL user and I have to all the time. My solution is to tell them to download Firefox and use it instead ;o) Just my 2 cents

A browser is software. AOL is kind of a hybrid. It offers you a "portal" to the Internet and also I guess still provides you with Internet services. Think of it like a phone company. Your phone is like the software and then there are the lines that allow your phone to work and access other phones, and then once you get that set up, you can call anyone you like! With the Internet, your browser is software that allows your computer to access and view Web pages. How those Web pages come to your computer will depend on your Internet Provider Service (ISP). Then, once you access and view a Web page, it will most likely have gazillions of links that take you to other Web pages. All kinds of organizations sponsor Web pages, which can have all kinds of links to other Web pages, either related to the sponsoring organization, or not. AOL kind of piggybacks on all of this and puts their brand on things. It's like having a phone labeled "AOL" and every time you make a call, a recording comes on and says, "This call is being sponsored by AOL." But that doesn't mean that AOL somehow controls your call or that whomever you're calling works for AOL. So you can get a NEW BROWSER and still access all of the features of AOL on it. But getting a new browser will change the way the labels and pull-down menus and links are configured on your home page. I know, you don't like it and I don't blame you. One of the features of modern computing is software companies constantly update the "interface" of their software. That means the way their pages look and the way they organize files and windows constantly changes. You get a system you like and know, and then "splat" it is gone and you have to learn something new. That's just the way the Internet works, it's very dynamic. Find someone to talk you through the set up of a new browser and trying to organize features you like to work the way you like them. There are ways to customize your experience. But don't fight it, because you will end up with something akin to a phone patched together with duct tape and you're always going to struggle making calls on that kind of system. To use a computer, you need to know that it is designed for you to INTERACT with it, so you need to learn how it works so you can master it. It's not smart enough to be your boss, you have to boss it around!