Obviously a Windows machine and not a Mac, but can you give me some more details? What version of Windows do you have? How old is it?

Have you tried running CrapCleaner and Malware Bytes (both good programs that clear your system of stuff) and your virus scan? (Preferably the Security Essentials from Microsoft, as it's free.) When's the last time you cleared your cookies?

Angie, who had a stint for about a year as a first tier IT Tech phone support person

Hi Angie!

It's a Windows 7, bought in around June 2012.

I tried downloading the programs you suggested but, like other programs, neither of them will load when I click on the .exe icon. They try, and then I'm told that the files are corrupted.

Being a complete ignoramus, I didn't know anything about clearing cookies but have just done that and have got Hotmail back!! So that's something, and thank you for that.

You haven't specified the type of computer it is (other than the fact that it is a PC, rather than a Mac) but, just using Mac as an example & then I will return to PC -- Mac uses Apple Care for its customers while the Computer is under warranty, but even after the warranty expires, you can call Apple Care with a question(s) and they will answer for a set amount (~$29/per call) albeit the last time I did this, they didn't actually charge me, but that's the general idea.

So, if you have a Dell, for example, perhaps you could call up Dell and see if you could get some sort of similar help from the company (or whatevertheheck your computer actually is.) Not that this is a guarantee, but it's a possibility that perhaps you haven't come across, b'c you just didn't call once your warranty expired.

Just a thought. (Hopefully you don't have a Dell, only b'c I did have Dell computers for about 12 years, and I constantly had problems with them and instead of changing the type of computer I used, I just spoke to customer service people for hours and hours and hours of time.) Or rather, I did change to a Mac a number of years back but prior to that, I stuck with the Dell for no good reason...

It's a Medion Akoya, which I bought because a friend's husband had one and I borrowed it while I was staying with her. I loved the feel and width of the keyboard, and it's been really good until recently. I've no idea whether Medion would help if I contacted them, but it's a helpful suggestion, and thanks for that!