Zep, I finally had some time this morning... so I downloaded HijackThis and followed your instructions to the letter. Here's the uninstall list. Now, my husband and I took a look at it and he said "if it's just installed and not running then it's not a problem". Is that true? 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 1 (SP1) Ad-Aware Adobe Bridge 1.0 Adobe Common File Installer Adobe Flash Player ActiveX Adobe Flash Player Plugin Adobe Help Center 1.0 Adobe Photoshop CS2 Adobe Reader 8.1.3 Adobe Stock Photos 1.0 AnswerWorks 4.0 Runtime - English AOLIcon Apple Mobile Device Support Apple Software Update avast! Antivirus Broadcom Advanced Control Suite Canon IJ Network Scan Utility Canon IJ Network Tool Canon MP Navigator EX 1.1 Canon MX850 series Canon MX850 series User Registration Canon My Printer Canon Utilities Easy-PhotoPrint EX Canon Utilities Solution Menu Cardiris Cisco Systems VPN Client 4.8.02.0010 Creative MediaSource Dell Digital Jukebox Driver Dell Driver Reset Tool Dell Media Experience Dell Support Center (Support Software) DellSupport DMX Update FileZilla (remove only) Free Solitaire 3D 1.7 Google Desktop Google Earth Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer HijackThis 2.0.2 Hotfix for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 (KB953595) Hotfix for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB947864) Hotfix for Windows Media Format 11 SDK (KB929399) Hotfix for Windows Media Player 11 (KB939683) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB942288-v3) Hotfix for Windows XP (KB952287) ImgBurn (Remove Only) Intel Matrix Storage Manager Intel(R) 537EP V9x DF PCI Modem Internet Explorer Default Page iPod for Windows 2006-03-23 IrfanView (remove only) iTunes J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 10 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 11 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 6 J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 9 Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2_03 Java(TM) 6 Update 11 Java(TM) 6 Update 3 Java(TM) 6 Update 7 Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 6 Update 1 Learn2 Player (Uninstall Only) Macromedia Flash Player 8 MailWasher Free Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Hotfix (KB928366) Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 Microsoft Compression Client Pack 1.0 for Windows XP Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Standard 2005 Microsoft Excel 97 Microsoft Internationalized Domain Names Mitigation APIs Microsoft Money 2005 Microsoft National Language Support Downlevel APIs Microsoft Office Access MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Access Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007 Microsoft Office Excel MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Groove MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Groove Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office InfoPath MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office OneNote MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Outlook MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office PowerPoint MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (French) 2007 Microsoft Office Proof (Spanish) 2007 Microsoft Office Proofing (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Publisher MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Shared MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Shared Setup Metadata MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Office Word MUI (English) 2007 Microsoft Picture It! Premium 10 Microsoft Plus! Digital Media Edition Installer Microsoft Plus! Photo Story 2 LE Microsoft Publisher 97 Microsoft Silverlight Microsoft Streets and Trips 2005 Microsoft User-Mode Driver Framework Feature Pack 1.0 Microsoft Works Microsoft Works 2005 Setup Launcher Microsoft Works Suite Add-in for Microsoft Word Modem Event Monitor Modem Helper Modem On Hold Mozilla Firefox (3.0.5) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB925672) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB927978) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB936181) MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430) My Way Search Assistant NVIDIA Drivers OpenOffice.org Installer 1.0 Paint Shop Pro 7 Photo Click Photodex Presenter Picasa 3 PIXMA Extended Survey Program PowerDVD 5.5 Presto! PageManager 7.15.20 ProShow Gold Qualxserve Service Agreement Quicken 2007 QuickTime RealPlayer Basic ScanSoft OmniPage SE 4 Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB951550) Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB951944) Security Update for 2007 Microsoft Office System (KB958439) Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906) Security Update for CAPICOM (KB931906) Security Update for Microsoft Office Excel 2007 (KB958437) Security Update for Microsoft Office OneNote 2007 (KB950130) Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007 (KB951338) Security Update for Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 (KB950114) Security Update for Microsoft Office system 2007 (KB954326) Security Update for Microsoft Office system 2007 (KB956828) Security Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 (KB956358) Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB898458) Security Update for Step By Step Interactive Training (KB923723) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB928090) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB931768) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB933566) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB937143) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB938127) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB939653) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB942615) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB944533) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB950759) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB953838) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB956390) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB958215) Security Update for Windows Internet Explorer 7 (KB960714) Security Update for Windows Media Player (KB952069) Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB911565) Security Update for Windows Media Player 10 (KB917734) Security Update for Windows Media Player 11 (KB936782) Security Update for Windows Media Player 11 (KB954154) Security Update for Windows XP (KB938464) Security Update for Windows XP (KB941569) Security Update for Windows XP (KB946648) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950760) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950762) Security Update for Windows XP (KB950974) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951066) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951376-v2) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951698) Security Update for Windows XP (KB951748) Security Update for Windows XP (KB952954) Security Update for Windows XP (KB953839) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954211) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954459) Security Update for Windows XP (KB954600) Security Update for Windows XP (KB955069) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956391) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956802) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956803) Security Update for Windows XP (KB956841) Security Update for Windows XP (KB957095) Security Update for Windows XP (KB957097) Security Update for Windows XP (KB958644) Security Update for Windows XP (KB958687) Shockwave Shutterfly Plugin Sonic Audio module Sonic DLA Sonic MyDVD LE Sonic RecordNow Copy Sonic RecordNow Data Sonic Update Manager Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Spelling Dictionaries Support For Adobe Reader 8 Spybot - Search & Destroy TrueSwitch Wizard Verizon TurboTax ItsDeductible 2005 TurboTax ItsDeductible 2006 TurboTax Premier 2007 TurboTax Premier Investments 2006 Update for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 (KB952142) Update for Microsoft Office Publisher 2007 Help (KB957249) Update for Microsoft Office Word 2007 Help (KB957252) Update for Office 2007 (KB946691) Update for Outlook 2007 Junk Email Filter (kb959141) Update for Windows XP (KB951072-v2) Update for Windows XP (KB951978) Update for Windows XP (KB955839) VC 9.0 Runtime Verizon Broadband Toolbar (IE only) Verizon Broadband Toolbar Firefox only Verizon Online Help and Support Verizon Servicepoint 1.5.22 Viewpoint Media Player WD Diagnostics WebCyberCoach 3.2 Dell WexTech AnswerWorks Windows Genuine Advantage v1.3.0254.0 Windows Media Format 11 runtime Windows Media Format 11 runtime Windows Media Player 10 Windows Media Player 11 Windows Media Player 11 Windows XP Service Pack 3 WinZip X-Win32 7.1 ZoneAlarm ZoneAlarm Spy Blocker

I thought I had upgraded to IE7 at one point. Yahoo wants me to upgrade to IE8, but after reading about it here, I was reluctant to do so. I did go to windows updates last week to see if there were any I needed to do, but after scanning it said there were none. How do I get IE 7?

Sounds like a lot of laptop for the money. Max it out in ram for graphic processing and burning. Bit big and heavy for frequently caring around though. Nothing burns fast on a laptop. Intergrated Graphics cards arent the fastest thing in the world. Nothing wrong with AMD processors, as long as its a mobile processor it wont cook your lap.

I also just bought a Gateway laptop and it is filled with junk I don't want. Out of this list, I will want to remove MS Office Home and Student, Napster, AOL, NetZero, and probably Gateway Games since I already used up my "free time" (and I must admit, I had fun). Now -- how do I make sure these things and all references to them are removed? For instance, some of this junk does not appear under Uninstall Programs (such as Netzero) so, I start by deleting the shortcut, then go to the harddrive to Programs file and delete the directory. Is there anywhere I need to go? Does anyone know of anything else that should be deleted? What about "BigFix"? Some of this stuff -- I just don't know what it is yet. Thanks. Software bundle: Microsof Works 8.5 Microsoft Money 2006 Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 (60-day complimentary trial period) Adobe Reader 8 CyberLink Power 2 Go Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 Microsoft Digital Image Starter Edition 2006 (includes 60-day Digital Image Standard 2006 trial) Napster Music Service (30-day trial) Microsoft Internet Explorer AOL (90-day Complimentary Subscription) Google Toolbar search bar Google Desktop Search search tool Gateway Connect NetZero Internet Access McAfee Internet Security Suite (90-day complimentary subscription) BigFix - helps identify and solve problems LoJack for Laptops BIOS Persistence Agent Enabled Kensington Lock Slot (cable lock sold separately) Gateway Games Powered by WildTangent (pre-installed with 10 demo games with 60-minutes of game play)