As a computer illiterate geriatric septugenarian, I crave your help and advice.
I have recently upgraded to Windows XP and am having trouble with both my Lexmark printer & my scanner.
Having made the decision to replace the above, I would appreciate comments from those of you who have experience in such matters, e.g. cost comparisons of both purchasing and particularly running costs: my Lexmark was a good printer, but it was an alcoholic when it came to ink.
I print mainly A4 pictures and fiddle with designing cards/calendars etc.
Answers on a £5.00 note to the above address.

Big thing is matching your use to the printer. Many experts like the Epson and Cannon printers that have separate print heads from the ink cartridge. Unfortunately the cartridges still aren't that much cheaper, and if they go bad, new print heads are more than the printer was. Bad choice for the occasional user or cheapskates that refill. Perhaps good for frequent users.

Many thanks for your prompt and helpful response to the above.

I have a Canon Pixma iP1000 running via Windows XP. I refill my own cartridges as it is A LOT cheaper than replacing them. Try finding out if your cartridges can be refilled & if so, give it a try. Be careful with the ink though, it stains like you wouldn't believe! :D

A Guid New Year from Scotland to ane a' all: but to get back to business, having made a complete 'pig's ear' of installing some new software in my new Sony laptop e.g. some in 'C' drive & others into 'D' drive, I am now being plagued by extremely intrusive messages about my 'Register' on the screen suggesting/demanding that I go immediately to various addresses such as 3W. Regfixit.net, 3£.fixed-PC.com and others or something drastic will happen i.e. the secret computer police will come and take me away.
Are the above addresses legitimate? Or am I being conned into downloading some fatal disease into the computer?
Can any of you 'computer' buffs help this old slow thinking duffer re. the above?

Hi, Soutarjimy,
You could possibly be invaded with Spyware/Advertising programs.
I apologize in advance if you already have some spyware removing programs. But, if you don't, here are some good ones I use, and how to use them. They are all free.

If you think you already have Spyware/Advertising Ware in your computer, run these as follows:

AdAware at:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com
Download: AdAware_SE V 1.06

SpyBot Search & Destroy V 1.4
http://www.spybot.info/en/download/index.html

CWShredder at:
http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder/
Click on the "Remove CoolWeb Search" button to download

All of the above programs run better and much faster when run in SafeMode.

To get into SafeMode:
Re-boot the computer, and immediately after starting up, Press and hold down, F8, at top of keypad.
When the options show on the screen, use the up and down arrow keys on the keyboard to select
"Safe Mode".
Press Enter

It's best to run the AdAware scan first; 3 times; then re-boot.
Then, run the AdAware scan again 3 times. Then, run SpyBot, and then CWShredder.
Re- Boot.
Reason for running so many times:
Some of these trojans' files can be deleted the first time; leaving some others; but on re-boot, they re-write the files that were deleted.
Running multiple times deletes most of it the first
Time.

If you wish to have a great program, after you clean out Spyware/Advertising Ware:
This program stops this stuff from getting into the computer in the first place, by placing URL's in the browser, stopping them instantly. One of the Very Best free programs anyone can download! Updates of AntiSpyware Definitions are available on almost a weekly basis.

SpyWare Blaster 3.5
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbupdate.html

Free online scan at:
http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/

The SpyWare Blaster is comparable to Microsoft's Anti-Spyware program. Since installing it, I haven't had even one bit of stuff get into my computer.
I do wish you the best. The programs above will automatically remove Spyware from your computer, when you run the scan, and when you tell it to.
Happy New Year, and best of luck.

Thank you Fredg for your prompt and cogent reply; I took your advice and the first pass brought up 5 gremlins all rated 'security' risks, so I blasted them and have had no problem since. Once again, many thanks from a very grateful recipient.