I had already loaded zone alarm free firewall, AVG antivirus & antispyware but I just realized that the spyware package is only a trial so I will get spybot. In the past I had spybot on a laptop and it seemed very complicated to use. I will just have to take the time to make sure I understand the instructions.
A couple of parting questions:
1. I observed signs of old programs that were supposed to be uninstalled in some of my hijacks logs - what is your take on registry cleaners? Do they cause more problems than they solve? Any recommendations? In the old days we were told to avoid extraneous code, but today with cheap gigabites does it really matter if registrys are littered with dead stuff as long as it isn't causing a problem?
2. I love the idea of sharing neat stuff via gnutella type networks as long as you stay away from copywrited software & music, but they seem to be problematic as portals to malware - can they be safely used? Are any easier/better than others from a safety/security standpoint?
Thanks again and a donation is forthcoming.
GB