Among the more heart-rending appeals to FAQ are those from readers who thought they had done everything possible to rid their systems of a worm or virus, only to have it rear its ugly head again.
The afflicted still get messages that other users have gotten infected e-mail from them, or learn that others have gotten e-mail messages they didn't send.
Here's why.
If you use services such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo Pager, or an instant chat service, your address is posted on a countless number of computers.
When one of those other computers gets infected by a nasty piece of malicious code - such as the W32.Yaha.E or Klez worm - it searches through address books, instant-messaging and chat lists on that PC.
It finds your address there, then promptly mails a copy of itself back to you, potentially reinfecting your system, said Laura Garcia-Manrique of Symantec, a vendor of antivirus software.
If that happens, you have to scan your system all over again to rid it of the infestation.
You should also warn all the people with whom you chat or exchange instant messages that they must cleanse their systems of the worm.
Some of these worms and viruses can even disable or trick an antivirus program. Check the Web site maintained by the program's vendor for special tools to deal with such an invader.
If you have done all you are supposed to do and still get messages saying that you are spreading an electronic plague, a worm is probably plucking your name out of someone else's address book and using your name as a cover to spread itself.
Again, a solution is to e-mail everyone you know and suggest they take steps to remove a potential worm infestation from their computers.
If you are absolutely sure your system is clean and want to be rid of false virus reports on your own PC, configure your antivirus program to do its work behind the scenes, without asking your participation.
Besides keeping your antivirus software up to date, it is also important to download security patches from Microsoft for Windows, Internet Explorer and Outlook.
If you have Millennium or XP, set the operating system to automatically download updates.
Or periodically check www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/downloads/critical/default.asp for information about the newest patches to key Microsoft programs.