...sorry but I didn't do a "hijackthis" log...somehow I picked up a very annoying and persistent bug that would open IE to a website wanting to scan my computer for spyware...pc-cillin, panda active-scan and spyware blaster didn't detect it...I ran a scan by a website called "www.prevx.com" and they reported an infection by something called "xmlwin.dll"...they offered to remove it for $9.95 which I declined...I found only one vague reference to it on the web and that was in a post here...anyway, I just backed everything up and simply went to regedit and deleted it...everything has worked fine since -- knock on wood...I have to wonder if there is possibly a link between the malware and that company...in any case, I hope this information may be of some use.