@ Vile

I have a recovery disk fm Sony that has all the pre-loaded software including the original Win xp OS that came with system.  If do what is described, will windows go back to original and all updates including SP2 need to be downloaded again?  Should I hire a geek to to this? The only thing in the folder that really concerns me is Photo Shop.  I have the original disk of it and Norton if it is lost. All else is fm free internet and thank goodness my Daz Studio, people and animals are on cd's.  I think I should be concerned about proper un-installs of them, right?? 

About restore points,  it was too long a period fm when I even realized I had a problem to when any new programs had been added or changed.  I didn't know I had a problem because all programs within folder still run perfectly, just can't edit them in any way.  Tks for the response.

Willie