Last night I did install Spyware Blaster and I plan in installing a better firewall than Norton or Windows can provide. I would like to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic. I am still not a big fan of Firefox but I agree that it is safer than IE 6. Me, personally, I have been using IE7 for the last 2 months and it has many of the security upgrades that you referenced to Firefox (i.e. phishing filter, notifying about downloads, etc.). Do you know if IE 7 is any safer? I do have Adaware and Spybot already installed and plan to keep AVG as well and use all of them for weekly cleaning of course.

The reason why you kept seeing IE, Notepad, Windows Media Player, and Windows Messenger Utility is because I have those programs open to follow your instructions, listen to music, and receive e-mail notifications. I do use MSCONFIG on my computer and do a selective startup. As of now, the only program that starts when my computer does is Norton, windows, and my java script (and I can probably turn that off too). I wish that I knew how to keep programs from writing themselves as a start up value while installing. Until then I will just turn them off with MSCONFIG or I will use Mike Lin's StartUp Control Panel as you suggested.

Thank you for the info about the svchost.exe files. I was reading up on it after I posted my request and found pretty much exactly, what you had said here, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

I understand about tea timer. Thank you. Makes sense and it is off. I did Immunize last night with Spybot too.

Thank you for the search tip after the removal of programs. Typically, I just look in C:\Program Files and find the folder for the program that I uninstalled and erase that program’s folder, files, and everything. Now I will do as you suggest and search the entire computer for any files as well.

I created a restore point last night but I will do as you suggest and create one now.

Finally, I would like to thank you for your help and your knowledge. I am not sure what you get out of helping others like me after all it has to take some time to do what you do but whatever your motives are your heart is solid gold. Keep on doing what you do. WE NEED IT!!! Thanks again.