At 12:00 AM 4/22/2006 -0400, you wrote:
>I'm not getting
>much work done, but email is ok. >>


Well, now we're at least getting somewhere, though still mighty short on facts.

If your email is OK, that tells us at least your internet connection is 
OK---that removes one possibility.  But we still don't know what "Home 
Page" you are referring to or what error message you're getting, so it's 
impossible to advise accurately.  (All error messages give you the option 
to send them to Microsoft---as if they'd care). Seems it's now boiled down 
to a browser error of some sort---presumably you've been thru the IE repair 
options.  Venkat and others have led you through some other options, which 
you say you've already tried.

It's not necessary to spend any money.

A reinstall of W98 "over the top" which you've tried has limited repair 
functions--sometimes it works, sometimes not.  If your browser has truly 
been hijacked, which seems to be the case (ie will only go to a certain web 
page not of your choosing), some of that sypware can be very pernicious and 
difficult to eliminate, as it can be self-replicating.

Certainly try another browser such as Firefox, (as Venkat has suggested), 
if you can access their download page---but it appears you cannot do 
this.  In that case, you should find alternative free browsers on most 
computer magazine disks---have a look in your bookshop. For the sake of the 
cost of a magazine, this is worth trying, and would certainly be a lot 
easier than reformatting---though it still leaves you with a hijacker on 
your hard drive.  This probably won't attack Firefox, though you can't be 
certain about that.

Your next step then would be to reformat your hard drive (back up 
everything you want to keep first). Then reinstall W98 and all your 
software anew.  This will cost you nothing and is the by far the best 
(often the only) way to fix a deep-seated browser problem---a last resort 
if all else fails. It may be the only certain way to eliminate all pesky 
malware.  And at least you're not spending any money---it's something you 
can easily do by yourself.

That is, assuming you want to keep your old computer and spend no money 
right now. The choice depends entirely on what you want to use your 
computer for, and how much you want to spend.  If your present system does 
all you want of it, by all means stick to it.

On the other hand, if you're filthy rich, and money is no concern, consign 
the old one to the scrap heap and go for broke. You might be amazed at how 
much more a new computer on broadband can do. The world will literally open 
up before your eyes.  I wouldn't be rushing out to get Vista right 
away--let it settle for a while. There are bound to be plenty of patches 
and upgrades before it settles down after the first year or so. Let others 
be the guinea-pigs.

If you do decide to go with a new computer, make sure it is easily 
upgradable, as manufacturers will have some catchup to do for the new systems.

Don Penlington




 From the Beach at Surfers Paradise in sunny Queensland.
Computer tutorials, local scenery,  and other things at my website:
http://users.tpg.com.au/deepend/index1.html

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