I have another strange problem. I have 7 icons, for games, travel, etc., on my desk top that appeared the other morning. Both of my kids deny down loading anything that could of caused them to appear. I can't right click on any of them to toss them into the recycle bin. They can't be dragged into it, either. If clicked on, they go to the sites via IE.

I'm still unable to use IE properly and have to use MSN to access the net. When I checked IE there are two new bars, Games and Search. To remove them, I'm given a message to go to Add/Remove programmes. Being a dolt, the only things I don't recognize are ATI Control Panel, ATI Display Driver and ATI Hydravision.

Are these related? If I remove these ATI programmes will it remove the icons? I have run Spybot Search and Destroy, as well as Spyblaster and I have updated all my security devices. Needless to say, I feel pretty inept. Any help would be much appreciated.

Usually to identify any 'cuckoo in the nest' program (as I just decided to name them) you open it and right click any of its components (I can't tell where to click yours but if you experiment you should get it to open a panel).
Then click on the properties folder and you'll get the name, which you then search for on your HDD, and delete all references to it. If anyone else can tell you how to open a toolbar program to tweak and identify it please chime in as I'm not sure, but as soon as you can then following the procedure I gave should get rid of it. IE seems to pick up this stuff like cats pick up burrs from the garden, apparently even with protection. They rarely seem to do any harm though and just need removal.

They are gone. Clicking on one took me to the "Search" page, and a mental synapse clicked. I went to the site home, lop.com and went to the uninstall procedure. They stated the permission to download came from an agreement to download some other programme. As much as I love my kids, I wish a little hand wagging a finger would pop out of the pc whenever they download. They don't read the fine print on any thing. They are so sure they know what they're doing and Mom is a worry wart, argh.

Thanks Satguru for helping fire that synapse.