Then I ran HijackThis, which returned this list which I only partly understand:
-------------------------------------
Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 4:09:50 PM, on 9/15/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_05\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\OpenOffice1.1.2\program\soffice.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\cisvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\snmp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Communicator\xcommsvr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Softwin\BitDefender Scan Server\bdss.exe
C:\MyDocs\Installers\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\freecell.exe
C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Free Edition\bdmcon.exe
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OOBE\BLANK.HTM
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\OOBE\BLANK.HTM
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {FDD3B846-8D59-4ffb-8758-209B6AD74ACC} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\System\mnyviewer.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDMCon] C:\PROGRA~1\Softwin\BITDEF~1\bdmcon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BDNewsAgent] C:\Program Files\Softwin\BitDefender Free Edition\bdnagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Portfolio] C:\Program Files\Microsoft Works\WksSb.exe /AllUsers
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MoneyStartUp10.0] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\System\Activation.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_05\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - Startup: OpenOffice.org 1.1.2.lnk = C:\Program Files\OpenOffice1.1.2\program\quickstart.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Lotus QuickStart.lnk = ?
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://C:\Program Files\Google\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Research (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: MoneySide (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {3E68E405-C6DE-49FF-83AE-41EE9F4C36CE} (Office Update Installation Engine) - http://office.micros...ontent/opuc.cab
O16 - DPF: {4E888414-DB8F-11D1-9CD9-00C04F98436A} (Microsoft.WinRep) - https://webresponse....iveX/winrep.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupd...b?1093399518016
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} - http://v4.windowsupd...8223.6661226852
O16 - DPF: {A7E092C3-692A-11D0-A7E5-08002B322F3B} (WebResponseAttachments Control) - https://webresponse....eX/FileXfer.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://active.macrom...abs/swflash.cab
---------------------
In particular those couple of RO items re OOBE/blank.htm ?? And those 09 items.
My only problem known at the moment is repeated failures to download SP2 from MS Windows Update.
So would appreciate a check and comment from someone who understands this stuff!
thank you
RonKZ
Arizona