[MovedGoalPosts]

You can reformat your laptop - basically insert the original windows CD that was supplied with it - but if you do, you will loose all data and other programs that you had installed on it, so you must make sure you have backup copies. But reformatting should be a last resort.

From what you say above, it sounds like some of the AOL software is still hiding on the laptop. Going into control panel > add/ remove programs: remove anythin AOL related. That's in addition to clearing the drivers for network stuff I've said above.

Finally, assuming you are using Internet Explorer, from the menu options select Tools > Internet Options > Connections ensure never dial a connection is selected, then on the LAN Settigs tab make sure detect settings automatically is set.