I really have two questions:

1. Before I log in Windows reports a varying number of unread emails in my system.  For example this morning it reported 1 unread email.  I had 1 on my Yahoo account, none on my hotmail account and four junk emails on my normal account.  Question:- Where is windows supposedly getting this information from?  Can I stop it?

2.  When I log into the machine first thing my Nvidia card keeps nagging me that I have certain settings not set.  However these are settings for two graphics cards and I have only ever had one.  Question:- How can I stop this nag?

1.)If you are using Outlook or Outlook Express as an email program, it is part of Windows.
2.) Check the device manager, if you have ever had to reinstall the card, or its drivers, it may show two.

Thanks very much for your help I will see what Outlook is actually reporting but so far there is little correlation between what Windows reports at start up and the actual number of unread emails in outloook.

BUT

The Nvidia card problem is not having had o reinstall the card.  I have only had to do it once, and there is only one card.  What the Nvidia stuff is doing is trying to push me to buying a second card which it thinks is best, and I don;t want to.  What I want to do is switch off this nag screen.

Look on this page:
http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/bb/ftopic192509.html
They suggest several ways to stop it, the easiest [to me] would be adding the registry entry given.

Many thanks - I'm indebted to you.