XP reload; definitions

[volunteer]

I have no working knowledge of WINXP so need a bit of tutoring to help a friend. She has WINXP Home installed, When it crashed, I found she had no antivirus installed so I added AVG. This brought up a list of 1311 viurses removed. I also installed spybot and it removed a large number of files also. The n-case alert still comes up indicating the presence of spyware. Because of continuing problems (has cable, XP can't see the connection) Dell has told her to format the drive and start over. Before we do that, is there a reg clean type of program for XP? What are restore points? How do you get into safe mode in WINXP? Does the install disk come with format on it. If I change her BIOS to boot first from the CDRW, how would I start the format process?I asked if she had a startup disk, and the answer was no.

1. Get Ad-aware and use it along w/ SpybotS&D
2. The System Restore doesn't work worth a crap, so don't bother even trying it. As a matter of fact, that's one of the FIRST things I disable after a new build.
3. You need to press 'F8' right after POST to get the menu, as soon as you see the progress bar at the bottom should be fine.
4. The Recovery Console has FORMAT, but you don't need to use it.
5. When you boot from the XP CD, it will start the install process, be sure to choose 'Clean Install', you should then be asked how you want to FORMAT the HDD.

[jmichna]

With 1311 virii identified, no matter how you clean things up... you would probably be best off with a clean install on a known "virus-clean" hard drive, IMO.

I hope your friend has the install media and license(s) info needed. A simple reformat will NOT insure a virus-free drive, so -- at the very least -- re-partition her drive and then reformat. Many times, I'll zero-write a drive for my clients, and then start from square one, knowing no virus can deal with a zero-write.

edit to fix typo "nest"-->"best"

[someone16]

Also when you reformat, don't plug into the internet. Set up passwords for the user and windows firewall before going back onto the net

[volunteer]

She has the XP install disks and whatever else Dell sent along with the pc. They are supposed to call her on Thursday and walk through the formatting and install process. I don't suppose Dell will be helpful enough to clean the HD and I don't know how to do that beyond formatting. The system is under warranty and Dell is not about to send another hard drive. (an interesting aside, their techs are in India) Guess we will just keep our fingers crossed that the pc works after Thursday. OR maybe better that it won't and they will take it back. :-)