There is one other mysterious occurrence that has happened recently. The biometric fingerprint reader which is usually active after the computer is started and can be used to log on to Windows, will not start now until after I choose a user and enter a password. (I don't know if this may be showing a problem with Windows startup) (although this appears in the startup tab of the system's configuration utility with a check mark next to it) I have updated Windows, HP software, Norton antivirus, spy bot search and destroy, ad aware, Microsoft anti-spy ware and I have also done a scan with Trend Micro's House call. The system comes up clean for viruses, Trojans, worms, and spyware. Is there anything else I can try? R