I just read an article about a lady whose computer was deluged by adware. It was such a problem that she spent thousands of dollars on computer repair fees to try to clean up her computer. The sad thing is that she could have restored her computer by herself in less than a few hours and for free.

Somewhere down the line, there will be problems with your computer (adware, spyware, viruses, good software gone bad, etc,). Obviously, you should use protection software to prevent as much as possible. However, you will most likely eventually find yourself in a mess. Relax! Don't worry.

Don't spend thousands of dollars on a computer guy to fix your computer if it breaks down. The first rule of thumb is, don’t spend more than $300, which would buy you a new computer today. But don't throw away your computer yet -- there is another solution.

If you are unable to access programs like MS Office and Quicken you may have a hardware problem, or your data may be so corrupted that you may have to call in a computer expert to get to it – and he may not be able to access it in a cost effective way. Decide ahead of time how much your data is worth to you and find out how much you will pay the expert.

If you can still access your data, try the following:
First, back up all the saved data from programs like MS Office and Quicken. Make sure you have the original program discs because later you will need to reload these programs, and any backed up data. Then, just reload your Windows XP operating system (or upgrade to Windows XP). Bypass any warnings it gives you about your existing data.

 It will wipe your computer clean and you can start again. Go online and load the FREE security programs listed below. Then load the programs you wish to re-install and then their backed up data. Your computer will run like brand new (or better!). Warning! You will lose everything on your computer when you install Windows XP, and all the programs have to be re-loaded.

Here is the plan...