When you speak of upgrading "my Dell computer", you're not speaking of installing an upgrade over top of XP are you? If so, I misunderstand, so disregard the rest of my post. :) So I'm assuming you intend to purchase a retail version of Windows 7 and do a clean install. In the first line of your post you mention 512 MB of RAM, a date, and then 2.00 GB of RAM. Does that mean it now has 2.00 GB of RAM or maybe 2 1/2 GB of RAM? Either way, I'm no expert but I'd think 512 MB is less than enough, but either 2 or 2 1/2 GB would be fine. I don't know much about Office, but wasn't Office 2003 was the last version that had the old style menu, before the newfangled ribbon came along. According to this, your Office 2002 would not be compatible but according to this, Office 2003 would be. Would your 2002 macros work in 2003? I don't know. Would it be worth the expense of buying a retail version of Windows 7, as well as Office 2003(or at least Word)? To me, probably not, to you, only you can decide. Personally, since it works, I'd probably just continue using it. Continue running a good real-time AV, occasionally scanning with a couple on-demand malware tools(Malwarebytes and SuperAntiSpyware come to mind), use Firefox or Chrome(lie detected), using the WOT add-on(trusting it somewhat less than fully), and being careful what I open(email) and what I install. Just my opinion though. Edit: GrammerGrammar Edit2: Spelling This post was edited by chuggerguy on Thu, Jan 23, 14 at 3:10

I don't know how it can be done. Originally my HP box w/Win7 actually did show that partition in "my computer", tho there was no letter, just "System Reserved". And clicking on it showed nothing (protected?). After a clean Win7 reinstall (w/o all the HP junk), even that disappeared, even if "show hidden files/drives" is enabled. But I had the last laugh as Linux shows that partition & files easily. And of course you don't want to change anything in that partition -- I just wanted to look... Edit: To elaborate, the Win7 clean-reinstall did indeed copy its protected system files into the System Reserved partition, just like it was originally -- the partition shows up in Disk-Manager and Disk-Defrag. It just doesn't show in My Computer any more. Don't know exactly why -- the clean Win7 reinstall over HP's Win7 "version" changed a few things..

loralee- Problems like you were having typically result from installing programs that you find on the Internet...stuff like that coupon printer, which often typically come with all kinds of pop ups and malware.. Unless you are downloading known programs like Adobe, Firefox, Flashplayer, etc., from reliable sources, you're asking for trouble. And when you try to uninstall these programs they either don't uninstall easily or they uninstall and leave behind things that continue to mess up your computer. There are even programs that you pay for that seem to be legitimate antivirus programs that actually take control of your computer and can make a huge mess of things, and require expert help to get rid of. After you get your computer fixed, please do not download and install any new programs you happen to find online - free or otherwise -or anything that's supposed to fix your computer or find malware because these things often are malware themselves. And if there's something you find that seems legitimate and you really think you have to have it, check here first to make sure that it's not going to mess up your computer again.

Ratings from a very trusted source, PCMag: Free Note that many ISPs provide the top rated security programs, like Norton, to customers for no charge. Also, note that the prices mentioned on the ratings grid are on the high side. Lower and easily affordable prices are usually easily found, including some that offer a multi-machine license (like for 3 or 5 different PCs) for perhaps $30-$40, that you could split with friends. I found a twelve month, five device Norton license for $29.95, as an example. Not free