There are different ways to check the version but it depends on which one you have. Open you browser and click on Help/About, or click on the question mark (if you have one) on the Task Bar. You probably have an older version of IE, and it might be a good idea to upgrade to the newest version. In any case, when you open your Favorites and see one you want to delete, you should be able to delete it by right-clicking on it and choosing Delete. Let me know what you find out after reading this...

Yes thanks Corrine, and you too Ravencajun. I am running admin acct. Looks like that did it, but its always easier to see on preview. (Those logs aren't easy on the eyes. These old eyes like whitespace:) Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4 Scan saved at 4:01:01 PM, on 6/9/2012 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:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\MsMpEng.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\Program Files\Digital Media Reader\shwiconem.exe C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\VTTimer.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\VTtrayp.exe C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\Program Files\Xmarks\IE Extension\xmarkssync.exe C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 10.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\112263~1\EE\AOLHOS~1.EXE C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\AOL\112263~1\EE\AOLServiceHost.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\Downloads\HijackThis.exe 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\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Internet Explorer, optimized for Bing and MSN R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http= O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - "18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3> - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - "761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43> - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll O2 - BHO: ST - "9394EDE7-C8B5-483E-8773-474BF36AF6E4> - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\ST\01.03.0000.1005\en-xu\stmain.dll O2 - BHO: MSNToolBandBHO - "BDBD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0> - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.5000.1021\en-us\msntb.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 O3 - Toolbar: MSN - "BDAD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0> - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.5000.1021\en-us\msntb.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunKistEM] C:\Program Files\Digital Media Reader\shwiconem.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VTTimer] VTTimer.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VTTrayp] VTtrayp.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Recguard] %WINDIR%\SMINST\RECGUARD.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Reminder] %WINDIR%\Creator\Remind_XP.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HostManager] C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\1122639952\EE\AOLHostManager.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [APSDaemon] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Apple Application Support\APSDaemon.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSC] "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\msseces.exe" -hide -runkey O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jusched.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MsnMsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\MsnMsgr.Exe" /background O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [updateMgr] C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Reader\AdobeUpdateManager.exe AcRdB7_0_9 O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Xmarks] C:\Program Files\Xmarks\IE Extension\xmarkssync.exe -q O8 - Extra context menu item: &AOL Toolbar search - res://C:\Program Files\AOL Toolbar\toolbar.dll/SEARCH.HTML O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra button: (no name) - "08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501> - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2iexp.dll O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - "08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501> - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2iexp.dll O9 - Extra button: Real.com - "CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE> - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Shdocvw.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 O9 - Extra button: (no name) - "638F11AA-DF27-433b-BA2E-7281CE561D71> - C:\Program Files\Xmarks\IE Extension\xmarkssync.exe (HKCU) O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Xmarks for IE... - "638F11AA-DF27-433b-BA2E-7281CE561D71> - C:\Program Files\Xmarks\IE Extension\xmarkssync.exe (HKCU) O16 - DPF: "B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF> (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - "438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1> - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - "8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030> - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll O23 - Service: Adobe Flash Player Update Service (AdobeFlashPlayerUpdateSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashPlayerUpdateService.exe (file missing) O23 - Service: AOL TopSpeed Monitor (AOL TopSpeedMonitor) - America Online, Inc - C:\Program Files\Common Files\AOL\TopSpeed\2.0\aoltsmon.exe O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe O23 - Service: PrismXL - New Boundary Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS -- End of file - 6503 bytes Looking Good.

I had the same problem as the original poster. I think it depends on the kind of account you have and maybe location. I have hotmail as a tab on firefox and it wouldn't open for almost a week. I didn't worry about it because it's a 'junk' address for me anyway. I haven't bothered to change anything and it's working now. I assumed it was because they upgraded my account to the 'live' version even though I had tried it before and went back to the original version. I opened a gmail account and think I'll just drop the hotmail account.

I have deleted Recent Places with no issues, but I would hesitate before deleting the others. They show up because they are system folders or a part of the Windows 7 file structure. I just thought about something, if these are icons on your desktop, then absolutely delete them if you don't want them there. Those would just be shortcuts or easy ways to find items in those folders and merely 'pointers' to the actual folders. Pam