Hi... Been seeing a lot on several lists about the current virus(es) that are making the rounds; I am wondering how they act when you get it.... I SAFELY shut down my computer last week preparatory to moving my office furniture around with all the computer equipment, etc., and reorganizing; when I got ready to re-boot the computer, it wouldn't; all I got was a black screen with a white outline at the bottom of all the function (F) keys, above that was a white outline of a 3.5 inch diskette, and above that was a white outline of a 3.5 inche diskette drive door..... couldn't get rid of them; also, before those outlines showed up, there was a multiple-digit number that just kept repeating itself down the left margin of the black screen..... I have had this before, years ago, and had to completely reformat my hard drive at that time. I had to do that again this time, and I lost a lot of genealogy information files I had accumulated; THAT part is my fault, I keep putting off getting a Zip Drive and Zip Disks to save everything on my computer... the 3.5 inch disks just don't do it anymore. So I could have at least prevented my loss. I also now have the software for Norton's Antivirus which I will be putting on probably later today. Just was wondering whether or not what happened to my computer was, indeed, the/a virus, or just something that happened due to the shutdown, which should have been okay since I did it in the right procedure. Thanks for any thoughts or information. Also, what about external zip drives? Any thoughts out there? Thanks a lot. Kathleen Manley Subscriber Researching Ohio, PA, VA, WV for Powell, Manley, Laser, St. John, Bricker, Hayman, and many others.