thanks guys.
I'll keep u posted how i get along. It may interest you.
big hug
natasha x

ps yes i was referring to the links, caperjack x

Please do keep us posted. We'd definitely like to know if you find the cause/solution, and by posting that info here you could be helping others out there who are having a similar problem.

just an afterthought before we rest this, did i mention that the dialling happens during start-up too? That is, this behaviour started the same time as the behaviour with the files, and is part of the problem. Is there an avenue here that I may have overlooked???

OHHHHHHHHHH ! they are not mine either ,but they are so good that i like share there existence!
Your problem drives me nuts that we don't have a fix .
did you check START /All programs ,and see if anything is in the Startup folder .

No kidding... :mad:


Good point- check that.

Hi dudes!
I promised to let you know how I got on with this.
Like I said I was due for a new computer so before switching over I weeded my files to delete those I didn't want, including my Outlook Express inbox which had 2,500 emails I had kept for future reference(!). Well all I can say is that after I wrestled with this gargantuan task, the problem went away!
Then I remembered something that had happened just before the problem started; a Word attachment had gone berserk when I tried to open it and failed. I guess that this may have corrupted or confused Word. Either that or something else I deleted from my inbox was causing it.
Then again it may have been something Spysweeper hadn't picked up, as I have recently read bad reviews about it (and is it true that it has spyware itself???). I wish I had listened to you guys and used Spybot instead.

Anyway, I am up and running with my new XP machine now and am wondering what protection to use.
On my old PC (Win Me) I had Norton Anti Virus 2003, with subscriptions until April 2005, and Spysweeper.
Bundled with my new XP PC came Norton Anti-Virus 2005, free 61 day subscription, so I'll stick with that for now.
I have also been given McAfee Internet Security Suite 2005 Version 7.0 by a friend, but I haven't yet installed it as it doesn't rate as highly as Norton Internet Security 2005, which I am considering buying.
I am not going to re-install Spysweeper.

I reckon I'll download Spybot, and maybe Ad-aware. Will this work? i.e. not clash with Norton AntiVirus? And will it be enough protection (Norton AntiVirus 2005 includes a Firewall, I think, or maybe not...).

Then, when the free subscription Norton AntiVirus 05 ends, I'll replace it with NIS 2005. Do you reckon this will be OK and won't be clashing with Spybot and Adaware?
Will I need anything else?

But, to complicate things, I am getting broadband in a few days, which comes bundled with anti-virus and firewall software. Will these conflict and clach with Spybot, Ad-aware and Norton??? (I have 1024 RAM).

thanks guys x

1. All of the anti-virus programs I've dealt with (including McAffe and Norton) "play nice" with Ad Aware, SpyBot, etc.; you shouldn't have a problem with that.

2. In terms of which AV program to use, you'll get many different opinions on that based on everyone's (differing) experiences with the many A-V and firewall products available. In the end, you'll have to make that choice yourself.

I've been working with the Norton and McAfee products for many years, and my experiences have been mixed with each. Neither is perfect, and the newer versions of both products have caused more headaches for my clients than earlier versions ever did. I attribute that (at least partially) to fact that the older versions did one thing, and did that pretty well: they detected and removed viruses. The newer packages, however, now include "spyware" detection, firewalls, anti-spam features, privacy features, etc. As with all software packages, the more features you try to bundle in, the more likely it is that conflicts and bugs will arise. Your mileage may vary though, and since you already have a copy of both products, you can "test drive" each one on and see if you're happy with either.

Once you do decide on an anti-vius product, install that one only. You can run into problems if you run two different AV programs on your machine at the same time- they can "step on each other's toes" so to speak.

3. A firewall is a good additional measure of protection. Both Norton and McAfee's "Internet Security" packages include a firewall, and Zone Alarm and Sygate are two popular stand-alone firewalls (both have a free download version). As with your anti-virus program, you should only install one firewall; you'll definitely have conflicts otherwise.

4. For further recommendations on protecting your system, have a look at the last few pages of the following link. There you'll find general suggestions on preventative measures you can take, as well as links to the reputable (and mostly free) utilities you can you to help you out (it also tells you what utilities to avoid):

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Sound advice! Big thankyou!

You're welcome; happy surfing!