I would suggest uninstalling AOL . Then you can reinstall from the AOL disk you have, just follow the instructions as a current member. All your setting, favorites, etc. will be there. I have had AOL9.1 for ages and have no problem. Actually I use Firefox, or IE for surfing. I can reach AOL using them, but find it easier to check my mail and use my old favorites from AOL. Since AOL is free it was just easier for me to keep it. Are you sure that the problem is AOL? Uninstalling it and the running your PC without it for a while should tell you if it is an AOL problem.

One thing that helps with cutting down on how much space Outlook takes up is to empty the Deleted Items folder -- if it's trash, you need to get rid of it altogether. Also, if your aunt sends out messages and attaches anything (photos, documents, etc.), she should delete that message from her Sent Items folder (or at least delete the attachment from the sent message). She's got the "original" on her hard drive, so she doesn't need another copy of it in Outlook. Then, be sure to empty that Deleted Items folder again! Your aunt can create a new Personal Folders File (also known as an Outlook Data File) in which she can store the messages that she really, really wants to keep. These files have a .pst extension and can only be viewed from within Outlook. Once the .pst file has been created and messages have been moved into it, you can move the .pst file to a jump drive (also known as a thumb drive). You will have saved important messages while at the same time cleaning out the mailbox and reducing the size of Outlook on the hard drive. If you need to get to those messages again you can insert the jump drive again.

Lynn, Are you using 'Windows XP', 'Vista', or some other operating system? You mentioned 'Superantispyware' removing "several spywares". Have you also run a full scan with your 'anti-virus' program? If not, update and run a full scan. Something else I overlooked when I read your initial post, I see you're using AOL 9.1. I'm still using AOL 9.0 SE, so there may be some changes to the way things are done in 9.1 as far as repairing the software. I'm not even sure they have the same features in 9.1 so let's forget about 'rebuilding the AOL adapter' for now. Someone else using that version of AOL will have to jump in here. If you have the 'AOL' icon down in the system tray (by the clock) you can right click that and see what options there are. System Restore is painless and if you don't get the results you want you just 'undo' the restore. If you had any kind of virus or spyware infection and you restore to a time when your machine was infected, yes, it will restore those infections, but you can always run your anti-virus and anti-spyware applications again to remove them. I can't say for certain whether or not 'system restore' will affect your bookmarks but it is always a good idea to back up anything on your computer that you cannot afford to lose or want the hastle of having to replace. There can never be enough said about the importance of backing up important data! I use Acronis True Image which makes an image of the complete hard drive, sector by sector, that will restore everything including operating system, programs, documents, pictures, data, etc. to the 'T'. This is on a second drive in my PC in case my primary drive should fail. I also have an external hard drive where I back up 'My Documents'. "I also ran ccleaner right after the updates (I thought at first that that was the problem) - should I rerun that as well?" No, running CCleaner again is not going to fix the problem, nor do I see where CCleaner would have created your problem, unless by chance, if you also used the 'Registry' feature in CCleaner, it may have removed something. Anytime you use any kind of registry cleaner it should have the option of making a backup in case things go wrong, which is exactly why most cleaners, some don't, have the backup option. Either that or create a 'system restore' point before you use it. Using a 'registry cleaner' is a hot topic. Some swear by them, others swear at them! I personally have use Macecraft 'Reg Supreme' for years with no ill effects. "There may have been an easier way to do this, but I just copied and pasted all the bookmarks I made_____". There is: Internet Explorer has an 'import/export' feature for transferring or backing up your cookies and favorites. Click on 'File' in the Menu bar at the top of the IE browser, select 'Import/Export', and follow the Wizard. You can save them to a file on your computer for retrieval later if you should need to do so using the same wizard. I made a folder called 'Backups' in the 'My Documents' folder where I store a copy of my 'cookies' and 'favorites'. In Firefox, I'm still using version 2.0.0.16, if you go to 'Bookmarks' in the Menu bar and select 'Organize bookmarks' and click on 'File', you'll find an 'Import' and 'Export' wizard. Drink some 'brave' juice and try the system restore first to see if that works. Witz

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