Hmm, I had not read the whole MS page but basically you only need to follow the first 2 instructions. I have never had to use those other instructions myself. Remember that if you get flustered just click the Cancel button to get out of where you are. There is nothing to be afraid of when using System File Checker. You It simply goes through your computer checking all the operating system files and replaces those which are corrupt or missing. The need for the CD is so it can get the needed files to install for you. The slight downside is that it takes the computer back to when your particular CD was created which means you will be behind on security updates and possibly a service pack. No big deal there either, you simply go to the windows update site and the computer grabs whatever it needs. You are doing nothing wrong. Who knows why those files went missing. Perhaps/probably it was due to the power outage. You can of course extract and install each of those files if you wish to avoid using SFC. Follow the instructions here to do that for each file. You do not have to do them all at one time. Try one, see how it goes then do others as you feel up to the task.

Sorry, I've been away a bit. To take your comments in order, Kudzu: Well, I'm glad to know it isn't something MS is doing, but there is really no way someone could have gotten access to my computer, unless they came in as a burglar and left no other signs. We have very few guests, and the layout of the house makes it impossible for anyone to enter the computer room without our knowing it. I'm beginning to lean more and more to your second suggestion, that the files came along with something else I downloaded. I did download a video on YouTube a few days ago, and now a search on the site doesn't bring it up anymore, which is strange. DA: I did click to see when some of the files were created. Several were from 2005 and 2006. Do those dates refer to the time they were "created" on my computer (though I do not think I had bought this computer yet in 2005--too lazy to go hunting for the receipt tonight), or to their original creation on someone else's? If it is when they got onto my computer and I just hadn't checked the All Users folder for such things, I am still left with the puzzle of why some got into my personal regular music folder. However, I usually access My Music through the Start menu, but I had gone through My PC>C:\, etc., when I came across this problem. Can it be that the files were there all along, as Gndms suggested, and I just never happened to notice them? (In that case, I will owe everyone an apology for taking your time, and also feel like the boy who cried wolf--though unintentionally!) So long as nothing sinister is going on, I will be content. RavenCajun: I ran scans as you suggested and all seems well there. However, yesterday I checked the History section of MSE and found this: But it wouldn't have anything to do with the strange files, would it? I am wondering how it "exploits" the computer and whether or not it did any exploiting of mine before it was detected and removed. This is the first time MSE has found anything "severe." Up till now, it has always been just cookies. Didn't find any suspicious log-on activity. RUBotted found nothing, too, but thanks for telling me about it; I have Bookmarked the site for future reference. When I checked the administrative tools and event viewer, there was a great long list of events listed as warnings, dating back to April of 2006, which I am assuming was when I bought the PC. All those "warnings" are scary. Can you tell me what they mean? Should I be doing something about them? Thank you all so much for helping me. Just as a final touch for my peace of mind, I am going to run Kaspersky's scan now.

you might try from MajorGeeks AVG AntiVirus Free Edition 9.0 Build 698a1730 where you see the blinking download arrow you have 4 choices to select I would go with one of the first 2.

Hello Rita and all y'all!! >>>> "Say what you will spunboundwarrior... But, if you're running Windows you HAVE to have Internet Explorer. Rita" How untrue that statement is, as much as and as well as the MSWin IE/XP FUD works (you bought the FUD after all, eh), it just ain't so....And if you do it right, and use the right software package to do it, removing BOTH OutLook and IE is a simple and very effective way of making your PC faster, stabler, and w/o IE-OL, more secure too..... And it'll have a smaller footprint and memory requirements, and can be set up as you, not Steve Ballmer, wants it to be. Or you can do the delete "manually" too, but it's (to me anyway) a royal pain in the arse....Instructions for doing it right are in abundance.... I ran "it" for on my last (well, it was really the S.O.'s PC, but I grew weary of having to fix something every, well very often.) MSWin PC, and installed it for a friends daughter (and installed the software that she PURCHASED not stole) on a fPC just a few weeks ago. It is for MSWindows software that IS well worth the money.... Then again, there is always SimplyMepis6.... Here is a link that might be useful: The best of