Does deleting suspected spyware files damage the Operating System?

From: P. Jayant (pjayant_at_sancharnet.in)
Date: 05/09/04 

Date: Sun, 9 May 2004 08:57:47 +0530

I did manage to stop Windows XP popping up Network addresses for dialling
as follows:

In desperation, I asked Windows to search for all files with exe extension,
scrutinized for spyware to the best of my knowledge: 1) those which were not
in standard folders of Programs, 2) those which were just categorized as
"application" without any uninstall file associated with them and 3) whose
names included suspicious terms from addresses like the
www.budweiser.drinkbeer.com which has been popping up cyclically.

It was very much unlike a good I. T. procedure but as a desperate act, I
took great risk and deleted a sample of these files. And lo and behold! The
popping up web addresses has stopped for the last 12 hours. I hope, I have
not started enjoying too soon.

But I am very uncomfortable that I deleted the suspected files without going
through the Add/Remove or Uninstall procedure. And I am worried, if I have
damaged the Operating System, any way.

Is it possible to ask Windows XP to check and repair any damaged files by
using the installation CD? What happens to the Sp1 Upgrade which I had
installed subsequently? Will it be automatically take care of by the repair
files procedure with the original installation CD? Or would I have to go
through all the SP1 and other upgrades executed over a period of time?

P. Jayant

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