In the beginning -- my email was with Netscape. It survived in the form of one of AOL's captives. I have never had problems with either. OMG. It is wonderful and I just love it. I use AOL solely to send and receive email, -- no adds, no bars, no nothing, and it works well. My only complaints -- it, like others caters to entertainment, Hollywook (sp), and is now in the pig trough with Huffington. (Isn't that comment political?) Fortunately that junk shows only when I'm on the way out. But I still will use it since that is where I receive my daily allowance of spam and some day I hope to be the oldest person who still uses AOL.

Thanks so much you guys! Here's the Logfile: Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 2:10:17 AM, on 9/8/2009 Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcmscsvc.exe c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mcproxy\mcproxy.exe C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\1242353284\ee\AOLSoftware.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe C:\PROGRA~1\MESSEN~1\msmsgs.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe C:\SLIDESHW\Snsicon.exe C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\1242353284\ee\AOLDesktop.exe C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLAcsd.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jucheck.exe C:\Program Files\RegCure\regcure.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\Topspeed\3.0\aoltpsd3.exe C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://www.yahoo.com/ext/gw/home.html R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.yahoo.com/ext/gw/home.html 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 R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - (06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - (53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F) - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O2 - BHO: scriptproxy - (7DB2D5A0-7241-4E79-B68D-6309F01C5231) - C:\Program Files\McAfee\VirusScan\scriptsn.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - (DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - (E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Portfolio] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe /AllUsers O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WkDetect.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [GWMDMpi] C:\WINDOWS\GWMDMpi.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UserFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -u O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mcagent_exe] "C:\Program Files\McAfee.com\Agent\mcagent.exe" /runkey O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HostManager] C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\1242353284\ee\AOLSoftware.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\PROGRA~1\MESSEN~1\msmsgs.exe" /background O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SpybotSD TeaTimer] C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy\TeaTimer.exe O4 - Startup: Snsicon.lnk = C:\SLIDESHW\Snsicon.exe O4 - Startup: PowerReg SchedulerV2.exe O4 - Startup: AOL Desktop.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\Launch\aollaunch.exe O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe O4 - Global Startup: EPSON Status Monitor 3 Environment Check 2.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\E_SRCV02.EXE O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXE O8 - Extra context menu item: &Define - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_DEF.HTM O8 - Extra context menu item: Look Up in &Encyclopedia - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_ENC.HTM O9 - Extra button: Encarta Encyclopedia - (2FDEF853-0759-11D4-A92E-006097DBED37) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_ENC.HTM O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Encarta Encyclopedia - (2FDEF853-0759-11D4-A92E-006097DBED37) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_ENC.HTM O9 - Extra button: Define - (5DA9DE80-097A-11D4-A92E-006097DBED37) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_DEF.HTM O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Define - (5DA9DE80-097A-11D4-A92E-006097DBED37) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Reference 2001\A\ERS_DEF.HTM O9 - Extra button: Real.com - (CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE) - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Shdocvw.dll O9 - Extra button: (no name) - (DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2) - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - (DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2) - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll O9 - Extra button: (no name) - (e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583) - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - (e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583) - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra button: Messenger - (FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683) - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - (FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683) - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O12 - Plugin for .hpb: C:\PROGRA~1\INTERN~1\PLUGINS\nphpipb.dll O15 - Trusted Zone: www.fargolibrary.org O15 - Trusted Zone: www.tgt401k.com O16 - DPF: (02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B) (QuickTime Object) - http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/QuickTime/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab O16 - DPF: (0C92900E-4D5A-4F04-ACC9-729E1767BBAE) (Image Uploader Control) - http://www.ritzpix.com/NET/Uploader/LPUploader45.cab O16 - DPF: (11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF) (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/download/ipixx.cab O16 - DPF: (17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700) (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=36467&clcid=0x409 O16 - DPF: (49232000-16E4-426C-A231-62846947304B) (SysData Class) - https://wimpro.cce.hp.com/ChatEntry/downloads/sysinfo.cab O16 - DPF: (4A3CF76B-EC7A-405D-A67D-8DC6B52AB35B) - http://aolcc.aol.com/computercheckup/qdiagcc.cab O16 - DPF: (6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C) (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1120199057495 O16 - DPF: (73ECB3AA-4717-450C-A2AB-D00DAD9EE203) (GMNRev Class) - http://h20270.www2.hp.com/ediags/gmn2/install/HPProductDetection.cab O16 - DPF: (D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000) (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab O16 - DPF: (E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7) - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab O23 - Service: AOL Connectivity Service (AOL ACS) - AOL LLC - C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\ACS\AOLAcsd.exe O23 - Service: AOL TopSpeed Monitor (AOL TopSpeedMonitor) - America Online, Inc - C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE O23 - Service: McAfee Services (mcmscsvc) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\MSC\mcmscsvc.exe O23 - Service: McAfee Network Agent (McNASvc) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mna\mcnasvc.exe O23 - Service: McAfee Scanner (McODS) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcods.exe O23 - Service: McAfee Proxy Service (McProxy) - McAfee, Inc. - c:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\mcafee\mcproxy\mcproxy.exe O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe O23 - Service: McAfee.com VirusScan Online Realtime Engine (MCVSRte) - Unknown owner - c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: McAfee Personal Firewall Service (MpfService) - McAfee, Inc. - C:\Program Files\McAfee\MPF\MPFSrv.exe O23 - Service: PictureTaker - LANovation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\PCTKRNT.SYS -- End of file - 9971 bytes I wouldn't doubt if this problem was somehow tied-into a Lexmark printer we don't use anymore. It was creating registry "errors" that my Registry-Mechanic program kept finding. Faron

Terry - that was great - thanks. It completely did what I wanted to achieve. I can easily see if I've gotten new email on my other account without switching software, etc Now a new problem occurred yesterday - before I made those changes - and I have no idea what I may have done to cause it. probably something I did in experimenting with all these different email issues. I had my firefox set up to send links in emails (from my AOL address). But now I'm trying to send my mother a link (for the emergency microsoft update from 2 days ago) - and when I'm in Firefox (and the computer forum thread is open - or any web page is open) - and I go to File - then click send link - it brings up an email form (with my screen name in AOL as the sender - so that party's working) - but a whole mishigosh of info (the link info, perhaps) appears in the space where I should be entering the email address I'm sending it to. I have no idea why that is happening. If I cut and paste that info into the body of the email - and send it to myself to test it - it doesn't appear to be a link to get me to the webpage I want). Seems to me that the webpage link should be referred to in the subject line - and supplied in the body of the email - not some mess of information occuring in the send to line. I tried going to FF tools - applications- and mail to . I have several options to choose from - use AOL software (this appears twice - once with the AOL triangle with "default" in parentheses and once with what looks like a mail page form), and once it says use AOL mail. I think I've tried all three and it still doesn't work. And before I started trying to change my email settings this week, I think there was only 1 or 2 AOL options for mail application in Firefox. Okay - so now I checked all three. On use AOL mail, it gives me the gibberish (somehow related to the webpage I'm trying to send a link for) in the to: line. If I choose use AOL software (default) - with the mail form logo - it goes to AOL software - sets up the email correctly with the information about the link in the subject line - and the to: field blank for me to fill in the recipient. But it wants me to sign on or the send button is faded and I can't click it. If I choose use AOL software (with the AOL logo - not the email logo), it takes me to the AOL software page and says this file may not be supported by AOL. AOL will try to send it as a text file (and if I choose to try, it will tell me the file is too big). So I do I email somebody links? Thanks. Lynn.

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