i truly appreciate everyone's help and word of advice. i mistyped...meant to say that the viro should have 'NOT' hit me...thanks harry! Topfarmer, i think that is what i was getting at! thanks skip for all the links...tried all i could and every scan said i was non-infected. i thus still have this unreal slowdown prob. it very well maybe coincidental, but it all started the day after the blaster viro hit. Suddenly my C drive is full when it had plenty of room b4? Any thoughts as to why?

I think you should have found the Date/time setting in control panel [ from start button/settings/control panel]. I would be interested how much free space you get; that is different when in dos; when you type dir *.* /s The slowdown could be due to an application which is hanging, no doubt you have looked for any out of place applications by pressing ctrl + alt + delete keys to bring up tasks that are running or [from start button /programs/accessories/system tools/system information click software enviroment then running tasts] BTW I am aware of one agent which I was told spreads easily from drive to drive which resets important files in windows to read only which inturn creates havoc with the systems smooth running.