Hi FreewheelinFrank,
Be honest about it. A small virus incident, OK Even some spyware you can take off with a removal tool or a known LSP insert that is not too complicated. OK, you can recover from that easily, and the machine won't be compromised. But a computer in this state of SUSZANNAH's friend, a real druid from the isle of Man couldn't make it function again if he ever could. I would not trust this desktop again for the life of me or it must be clean and re-installed. Save all the data from the corrupted one as far as it goes, and then do the inevitable. I know what I am talking about I have been there, won a T-shirt, so to say. After a klez infection, that took out 30% of my 'windhose' files in the good old days, when providers did not screen your very e-mails. It is a bit of a mourning process to loose a comp installation on an incident like that, I know, but after one evening of cleaning up, re-installing the OS, getting the drivers back-on, and putting back the data, I could run the un-compromised thingy. Now I have a restore program and back up on DVD regularly, so with one click I go back to the version of 5 minutes before whenever it becomes sloppy to the time it was working perfectly without the problem, also minus virus or spyware. RESTORE-IT as a programme it is worth every penny of it, and saved me many a pain in the neck, believe me my friends. My wife gave it to me as a present, and it was the best thing I got.
Keep up the good work, stay clear of viruses,
Yours faithfully,
POLONUS