Rogers is my ISP. When this happened before, they mentioned it was a key logger virus. do you agree? If so, it's very complicated to remove. Avira and Ad aware didn't ID it. But a free copy of Dr. Spyware (?) did but then I would have had to purchase it to remove it.

Do you think that's what it is?

I highly doubt that it's a keylogger. There are a multitude of potential reasons why it's not keeping your credentials.

Here are some different things to try, start with one and work your way down:

1. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290684 (*WARNING - Some of these fixes require registry edits. Make sure to follow the directions or you could seriously damage your computer.)
2. http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...word-on-vista/
3. Delete the Outlook Profile, Restart PC, and create a new one. Sometimes that helps.
4. Try uninstalling and then reinstalling outlook. *Make sure you back up your PST file just in case (Here's how: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287070).

I tried the easiest thing first which was to create a new email acct. Followed instructions but it doesn't work because the dialogue box keeps on coming up. Further, am I supposed to delete the original acct because creating a new acct does it with the same email address, and then the same email problems with that dialogue box. Shd I go straight to registry?

Even though the new account does it with the same email. You have created a new profile since the original could of been corrupted.

I would just skip to the number 2 that I posted. At the howtogeek site. Ignore number 3 since that is what you just did. After step 2 move to 4.

I went to your first link- the MS site. You want me to go to the geek site. OK

When I follow first instruction to paste this %userprofile%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect into my browser I get this:

Windows cannot find c:\documents and settings\Deborah\appdata\roaming\microsoft\protect

Now what?

Don't type it into your browser. You should paste it into windows explorer. Alternatively you could just browse to that location through windows explorer.