Thanks Bryan. Am I spoiled? Completely forgot DOS which was the OS when I started using computers. I completed the routine you sent and it didn't help. I have IE7. The browser displays a symptom that I thought could be indications of a browser hijacker: IE ignores my home page setting, goes to MS run once and displays a blank page with blue background. I ran Hijack This and CWShredder but uncovered nothing. Seems like an Excel file has blown a fuse.