[JimSpence]

...
Lastly, I cannot access "read messages" it hangs forever and never gets there....

You don't have the phone line plugged in, do you? Although not needed, the nag messages clog up the message screen to the point that the system hangs when you access it. Either just don't access that menu or do a clear and delete everything (very drastic), then clear the nag msgs before you get too many again.