This has been going on for a couple of days, and I don't leave it on all the time.

Have you tried a system restore? Run msconfig, and pick a restore point from before the trouble started happening.

It's Ubuntu.

By the way, I use Ubuntu at home exclusively so if you have any questions I might be able to help.

I wish I knew something about the Windows problem, but I can't think what might be causing it. I would hesitate going back to Win98 though. Microsoft has dropped support and IME it is much less stable than XP. One of the kids computers has Win98 (I have a legal copy of Win98 for it, but not XP so Win98 it is) and it is no end of trouble. The Win XP computers never seem to have any troubles.

However, I can no longer click on File in any folder window or in Windows Explorer, nor can I right-click on the folders or the Windows desktop.

This is just a blind guess in the dark at night, but... could it be a permissions issue? Because XP is multi-user and 98 is not - maybe she's logged in as a user with no permissions?

Actually, Connie, you could just log in as administrator (if you haven't already) - if the problem persists then my theory is wrong....

eta: Having never done a 98 to XP upgrade, I have no idea how XP creates/handles a user from 98.

I did do the system restore, but that didn't help. This was installed only a few weeks ago, so I don't have a nice, early one to go back to.

Is there a default Admin password? I can't remember what we had it set to. I was thinking of setting up a new user, but that requires being able to get to Admin.

My Win98 was a rock, never a lick of trouble I couldn't fix in five minutes. The only benefit I'm seeing to WinXP is better video support, and not being able to rearrange my folders is not worth being able to watch "White and Nerdy."

I am very curious what Admin would do.

Thanks, by the way, very much.

I think by default Admin has no password. Try logging in as Admin leaving password blank.

Try logging in as Admin leaving password blank.

Except you need to use the user name "administrator," which is the default.

Dual-boot merit badge: [link]

Sweeet.

By the way, I use Ubuntu at home exclusively so if you have any questions I might be able to help.

Here's a couple right off the bat, Gud -- what's the story on Internet security. Are all my back doors wide open right now, or is Ubuntu pretty secure right out of the box? Do I need to install a firewall and virus protection or anything like that?

In general, are there any particular apps, system thingies or other gewgaws you particularly like and recommend/hat and discourage? Just an initial look at the repositories reveals that, yes indeed, there's a kerjillion free programs out there for me to use, should I so choose.

With Internet security I would say it depends on your setup. Is your computer connected directly to the Internet or is it connected through a router?

If it is behind a router, then you really don't need anything. If it isn't, then there a couple of things I would suggest but the important one is a good password.

For what to install, I would check out this webpage... [link]

There is information about adding all the multimedia stuff that doesn't get installed automatically. Other applications would depend on what you want to do. I use the default applications for the basic stuff. OpenOffice for Word Processing/Speadsheet/Diagrams, Firefox for Web browsing. I installed Thunderbird for E-mail instead of the default Evolution. I would recommend k3b for burning CDs.

I have a lot of stuff installed for software development and managing video and audio but that may not be what you are looking for.

Is your computer connected directly to the Internet or is it connected through a router?

It is, in fact, behind two routers. Or, a router and a DSL modem, actually.

but the important one is a good password.

I usually have pretty good passwords -- long strings including both letters and numbers, with odd capitalization, and not related to any direct personal information. Actually some of my passwords are weird references to obscure things in unfinished stories that have never seen anything but the inside of one of my notebooks or been graced by eyeballs other than my own. The rest are meaningless strings I thought up and burned into my memory. Probably my only downside is needing to change them more frequently, but they're pretty comfortable and I'm a creature of comforts.

But I'm also behind a router.

For what to install, I would check out this webpage... [link]

There is information about adding all the multimedia stuff that doesn't get installed automatically.

Good, that's mostly what I'm looking for. I could tell just by looking at the user documentation that I was missing some useful items, but the platform does seem to come with most things I'll need here. I don't really intend to do anything software or development oriented here, so I think that page probably covers most of what I'm looking for.

And I'm enjoying looking through the game repositories. Plenty to keep me entertained.