Spyware experts?

[JB4310]

Maybe I should ask if most folks even know about system restore in XP. Lots of folks don't know about it. It is one of the very few good things from Microsoft. If comes free with XP. Set it up to do regular system check points, like once a week. Also, manually run a system checkpoint before installing any software. If the software goobers up the machine, just restore to the checkpoint and it is gone.

I have it, of course on my 4 year old Sony Vaio w/XP. I've never used it though, I've heard it does use up some resources as it is creating restore points automatically?
I've been real happy with the Sony, it's been pretty much trouble free for 4 years and I'm not to tech savvy, any time it started to get a little funky I would run that Adaware free program and it seemed to work, I did format the C drive last month for the first time and now I want to get rid of Norton, One of the tech support people that helped me with the recovery recommended Live One Care from MS. it's supposed to run light and not slow things down like Norton, anyone familiar with it?

 

[anojones]

My advice is to back up all your data (music, photos, documents etc) and do a fresh re-install of windows. If you have one piece of spyware, you will very likely have more hiding in there and viruses as well. You are very likely running as a botnet computer. Unfortunately, there is no way to know you've got rid of everything no matter how much anti-virus and anti-spyware stuff you run. Once your back up and running use the restore feature as suggested and run an anti-virus and the anti-spyware programs all ready reccomened.

 

[riptides]

If he is infected, and backs up his stuff. and even re-installs windows, do you really think he is safe when he restores? Even selectively?

The BEST course of action is to remove virus/trojan/ad-ware/spyware and get a KNOWN GOOD clean machine.

Then back that up.

Sorry but you going to have to do some work to get a safe computer. Either you pay for it in resources, your own time, or $$$.

-Mike Z.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I use webroot spysweeper - it both blocks and removes spyware & such. They also have an anti-virus version that's pretty good, all for less than $40 - with free upgrades for a year.

 

[Luremaker]

Maybe I should ask if most folks even know about system restore in XP. Lots of folks don't know about it. It is one of the very few good things from Microsoft. If comes free with XP. Set it up to do regular system check points, like once a week. Also, manually run a system checkpoint before installing any software. If the software goobers up the machine, just restore to the checkpoint and it is gone.

When you restore to a previous date do you loose data like new documents, email etc?

 

[MossRoad]

When you restore to a previous date do you loose data like new documents, email etc?

You are not supposed to lose any data, only changes to the system registry. I have done system restores probably a hundred times or more on many, many machines and have had very good success with it and never lost data. Even so, back up your data first. Why? Mr. Murphy suggested it. And everyone should have an adequate data backup plan, anyway.

 

[EddieWalker]

Dumb question, but how do I find the System Restore program on Windows XP?

Eddie

 

[dgl24087]

Dumb question, but how do I find the System Restore program on Windows XP?

Eddie

Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore