PC displays symptom of malware misdirection

Q: My PC runs on XP, and all of a sudden when I try to open up a PDF or view a DVD using Windows Media Player, the programs do not work. I am redirected to Adobe's site and asked to buy Reader, a program that was free for ages.

Is this a scam? Are there other programs that will work free instead?

Also, I when I try to use WMP, I am directed to a number of sites that want to sell me a connector or something so it will work. I do not want to spend money on something that was working fine before.

M.A., Raleigh Unfortunately, the fact that you're being redirected to sites trying to sell you free programs indicates that your computer has been hijacked by some form of malware, says Paul Rosenberg, owner of "Love Your Computer" in Chapel Hill.

Working around the issue by using other applications will not solve the problem, he said. Instead, you need to get rid of the malware causing the problem.

While I often recommend various antivirus and anti spyware programs (with limited success for some readers), Rosenberg strongly recommends having your computer professionally evaluated and secured.

Many of these types of hijacks can be very difficult to trace and remove, he said. He regularly sees malware that impersonates critical system files, making it very hard to detect with most malware-scanning products.

Even after professional evaluation, the problem might remain.

"If you find yourself strangely redirected to unknown websites, then your system is still compromised and might require repeat service," he said.

Plus, attempting virus removal yourself using online virus removal services can be tricky, he said, as compromised systems need to be isolated, not connected to the Internet.

"Custom malware is far too sophisticated now to rely on this," he said.

Once your system is secured, you should be able to go back to using Reader and WMP as before.

Q: Back in my working days, we used Lotus Notes for intra-company communication. With Notes you had two choices when replying to an e-mail message: "Reply" and "Reply w/ History."

Now I'm home using Microsoft, and I have only one choice: "Reply."

If I want to "Reply w/History" I have to select "Tools," "Options," "Send," "Include Message in Reply," "Apply" and "OK." Is there a mod or upgrade to Microsoft Mail that gives me a one click option to "Reply w/ History," or is there another e-mail program that provides this functionality?

R.B. All Microsoft mail clients have "Include Message in Reply" as a global switch, Rosenberg said.

That means that once it's turned on, your original message will be included in every reply. His research indicates that the "Reply w/History" choice is a feature unique to Lotus.