I must be infected. About 3 weeks ago when I logged on to my computer my desktop image and many links had vanished. Instead there was the message: "Windows cannot load the locally stored profile. Possible causes of this error include insufficient security ...." There is a bit more to this message that I couldn't write down before it vanished but part of it was the recommendation that I call my provider Cox Communications. (I did. They could do nothing.)
Then there is another message that reads "Windows cannot find the local profile and is logging you on with a temporary profile, and something about changes could be lost... A security screen would come up which showed I had no anti-virus protection. I have Windows XP and have had this computer for 5 years with never a problem, but do I know what or if I have anti-virus protection? No.
I talked to my IT guy at work. He told me to run ComboFix and get AVG free 9.0 which I did. I see now that this was probably bad advice as I did not talk to anyone at your website before I did this. Not only that but it now takes me 25 minutes from the time I start my computer to the time I can get in to AOL. Before the ComboFix/AVG download it took about two minutes. I'm also getting a message that says I'm running out of space on Local Disk C. Please don't tell me AOL is dumb. I'm 62 and maybe I'm the one who is dumb but it's all I know.
I'm hoping for some easy to follow advice. Thank you.