I am using Windows 98, so I don't know what you will be able to find if you are using another operating system. In the START menu, you will find ACCESSORIES. ACCESSORIES has a 'magnifier' function for the visually impaired. Those settings might have been interfered with, either intentionally or not, by a virus or adware (which, these days are almost the same thing). You can check your downloaded program files in 'Internet Explorer' by clicking on TOOLS ...INTERNET OPTIONS
then click on SETTINGS...VIEW FILES ....from memory, this will show you the cookies stored on your computer that might be allowing certain websites to reload harmful files everytime you are on the internet. I always choose to delete mine (just click O.K. to return to the previous screen and you will see that you have the option to delete the files. Then you want to click on VIEW OBJECTS (that's the box next to DELETE FILES. When you click on VIEW OBJECTS, then you will see the downloaded program files that downloaded onto your hard drive whether you knew about them or not. You will be able to delete them by highlighting them and choosing DELETE from the FILE menu at the top of the page, or simply by LEFT-clicking and choosing DELETE (but you must first highlight them). Whether it's your video driver or ACCESSORIES that has been interfered with, the downloaded program files and the cookies are probably going to let your computer return to normal after deletion and RESTARTING. You'll probably still have a lot of useless junk in your registry and it's possible that something in your registry will rebuild some damaging files. While you are in Windows, you can't delete a file that is in use, so it's important to know how to use DOS (read my other posts below). There is a subdirectory that is very insidious and keeps adding new files everytime you go on the internet and keeps track of every website you visit, but also REDIRECTS you to hundreds of porno websites without your permission,...it is called COOKIES. Once you restat in MS-DOS MODE, you will see...

C:\WINDOWS>

Press DIR (enter)
you'll see the files AND the subdirectories OF WINDOWS (but Windows is not in use, only DOS). Inside of those subdirectories, there are OTHER subdirectories (I don't remember where you will find the COOKIES subdirectory, but there is a simple AUTOMATIC way to search for the files contained in it). I remember that some of the files are named USERDAT2~.exe and new files are built every internet session (userdat3~.exe, etcetera). First press
CD.. (CD dot dot) then press enter (every DOS command---press enter)

Now you are in the main (or ROOT directory) and can search the WHOLE hard drive for all infectious (rogue) files by pressing these commands...
(the new DOS prompt that shows is this C:\>
press DIR userdat??.exe /s (the ? are wildcards because we are not sure exactly what will show after the letters). Watch your hard drive light. Your whole hard drive is now being searched for all files of the userdat name that are EXEcutable (Because there might be identical files in other directories also, so depending onthe speed of your computer and the size of your hard drive, give it two minutes or so, when it is finished searching, it will show a DOS prompt, but keep watching the screen because it shows the results immediately when found).
The delete command in DOS is DEL (eg. DEL USERDAT2~.EXE).

But first read my other posts and make copies before you delete, just in case.

Whenever you are using Windows, pressing the CONTROL-ALT-DELETE keys all at the same time TWICE will reset the computer, but if you only press them ONCE, a window will show you a list of everything that is running on your computer. You might be able to recognize some names from my other posts.


If you want to keep an eye on system resources, ACCESSORIES has a resource meter (not very informative< I don't know what GDI stands for (probably GRAPHICS something...it will put a green icon in your taskbar).