Thanks for responding. I ran 3 scan attempts in response to your message. The first one cut off in an area that read, in part: C documents and settings\owner\templets. That one cut off without warning, after running about 2 minutes.
The next 2 attempts cut off shortly after a miniute a a section reading "enumerating cisids"
The scans do not detect any items and since I loaded 8.1 the scan indicator advises that no scan has taken place. Prior to this I had AE running all year without any issues. I run XP, with Internet Explorer 8. I also have an alternate browser called Flocks. Never had any difficulty.