Thank you.

I tried what you suggested and it is already set to "enabled."

Cosmiz,

There is a possibility that the Windows Clipboard is corrupted. See if replacing it with a clean version using System File Checker resolves the problem. Go to Start|Run, enter sfc /scannow and click OK. (There is a space after sfc.) You may be prompted to insert your XP reinstallation CD.

See if this helps:

1.Internet options

2.Security tab

3.Custom level

4.Enable:
Drag or drop copy and paste files

Cosmiz:

See if this article has any help:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP052547781033.aspx

Please post back and let me know how you resolved it.

Hi,

I tried the sfc /scannow and it ran the scan, which took quite awhile.  Immediately after doing that I could copy and paste, but I restarted the computer to see if it would stick and it wouldn't work again after I rebooted.  Any further suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

Cosmiz

Cosmiz,

The clipboard may be being corrupted by spyware. To get rid of it, download Ad-aware from here and Spybot from here. Check online for updates to their databases then run them and delete all the spyware they identify.

If that does not rectify the problem download HijackThis from here. Run it and post the log it generates here, here, or here where the experts can analyze it and provide corrective measures.

In the meantime, you may be able to keep the clipboard viewer working by changing its properties. Restore it again with SFC then after it is restored locate it (C:\Windows\system32\clipbrd.exe), right-click it, select Properties, then check "Read only" and click Apply.

Hi Denny,

This is a brand new computer and Norton Utilities was installed before ever going on the Internet.  Do you think I could still have spyware?

Cosmiz

Cosmiz,

Although it isn't likely, it certainly isn't impossible. There is clearly something on the system which is corrupting the clipboard when you restart the system.

Another method of getting a clean copy of the clipboard file which will be quicker than using system file checker is the following (substitute the letter of your CD-ROM drive for X:\ and put the XP reinstallation CD in the drive).

Go to Start|Run, enter cmd and click OK. At the command prompt enter:

expand X:\i386\clipbrd.ex_ C:\Windows\system32\clipbrd.exe and press . (There is a space between ex_ and C:\.)

Denny,

Thank you for your idea about spyware.  You were absolutely right - that was causing the problem.  Spybot originally found 20 files, then the next day it found 6 and tonight Ad-Aware found 29.  I'll need to get a subscription to one of them so that my computer can be checked and protected all the time.

Thanks again for your time!

Cosmiz