Re: xp sp2
From: Carol2 (walderac_at_NSprairietech.net)
Date: 09/26/04
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Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2004 22:04:44 -0500
Hi Shenan...... I just printed a copy of your instructions out for my
DH's bro. & SIL, as they are leaving soon for their winter quarters in
AZ. I hope you don't mind. They came home this spring with a whole
slug of adware/spyware, trojans, etc. LOL I got their machine cleaned
up in a couple afternoons, but I'm hoping that this handy tutorial will
help her over the winter months. Thanks for all you do. 8^)
Carol2
"Shenan Stanley" <news_helper@hushmail.com> wrote in message
news:OkkUzoqoEHA.3896@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> kris wrote:
> > After this update....my computer has slowed down so slow
> > I can't get anywhere. Can I uninstall or fix this?
>
>
> You should try uninstalling:
> 1. Open the Control Panel
> 2. Click the Add or Remove Programs Icon
> 3. Click the Show Updates checkbox
> 4. Scroll down and select Windows XP Service Pack 2
> 5. Click Remove
>
> Then clean up:
> See the long text below this - it will tell you the various things you
can
> do to secure/clean your system regularly.
>
> Then Reinstall:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2/sp2_whattoknow.mspx
>
>
>
> *WARNING* This is a LONG spill, all in plain text and simplified so
that
> even non-techs should be able to understand it. Hopefully this will
> assist some people in not only repairing their systems, but in making
> them faster and more stable tools for them to use. It contains advice
> on many things, many considered "common knowledge" to 'IT' people
> everywhere. It is split into major sections, hopefully this will make
> it easier to navigate. *WARNING*
>
> Suggestions on what you can do to secure/clean your PC. Every attempt
> has been made to be general and an assumption of a "Windows" operating
> system is made here as well - although in some ways, this could be
> adapted to any OS.
>
>
> GENERAL UPKEEP AND CLEANUP
> --------------------------
>
> You should periodically defragment your hard drives as well as check
them
> for errors.
>
> How to Defragment your hard drives
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=314848
>
> How to scan your disks for errors
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=315265
>
> How to use Disk Cleanup
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310312
>
> You should also empty your Internet Explorer Temporary Internet
> Files and make sure the maximum size for this is small enough not to
cause
> trouble in the future. Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink
the
> size it stores to a size between 120MB and 480MB..
>
> - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
> - Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
> - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do
the
> following:
> - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
> - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:"
to
> something between 120MB and 480MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right
> now.)
> - Click OK.
> - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
> (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take
2-10
> minutes or more.)
> - Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
> Explorer.
>
> Uninstall any software you no longer use or cannot remember installing
> (ask if it is a multi-user PC) - but only if you are sure you do not
> need it and/or you have the installation media around to reinstall if
> you need to. http://snipurl.com/8v6b may help you accomplish this.
>
> If things are running a bit slow or you have an older system
> (1.5GHz or less and 256MB RAM or less) then you may want to look into
> tweaking the performance a bit by turning off some of the memory
> using Windows XP "prettifications". The fastest method is:
>
> Control Panel --> System --> Advanced tab --> Performance section,
> Settings button. Then choose "adjust for best performance" and you
> now have a Windows 2000/98 look which turned off many of the annoying
> "prettifications" in one swift action. You can play with the last
> three checkboxes to get more of an XP look without many of the
> other annoyances. You could also grab and install/mess with one
> (or more) of the Microsoft Powertoys - TweakUI in particular:
>
>
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
>
> You should also verify that your System Restore feature is enabled and
> working properly. Unfortunately, if seems to have issues on occasion,
> ones that can easily be avoided by turning off/on the system restore
and
> make a manual restoration point as one of your periodic maintenance
tasks.
> This is particularly important right before installing something major
> (or even minor if you are unsure what it might do to your system.)
> (This, of course, will erase any previous restore point you have.)
>
> Turn off System Restore.
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310405
>
> Reboot.
>
> Turn on System Restore.
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310405
>
> Make a Manual Restoration Point.
> http://snipurl.com/68nx
>
> Also, you should look into backing up your valuable files and folders.
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=308422
>
> And keep your original installation media (CDs, disks) safe with their
> CD keys and such. Make backups of these installation media sets as
> well and always use strong passwords. Good passwords are those that
> meet these general rules (mileage may vary):
>
> Passwords should contain at least six characters, and the character
> string should contain at least three of these four character types:
> - uppercase letters
> - lowercase letters
> - numerals
> - nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !)
>
> Passwords should not contain your name/logon name.
>
>
> UPDATES and PATCHES
> -------------------
>
> ** Side Note: *IF* you are about to install Service Pack 2 (SP2) for
> Windows XP, I suggest you clean up your system first. Uninstall
any
> applications you do not use. Update any that you do. Download the
> latest drivers for your hardware devices. Defragment and run a
full
> CHKDSK on your hard drives. Scan your system and clean it of any
> Spyware/Adware/Malware and for Viruses and Trojans. Below you will
> find advice and links to applications that will help you do all of
> this. If this advice helps you, please - pass it on. Print it,
> email it, forward it to anyone you think it might help. A little
> knowledge might help prevent lots of trouble.
>
> This one is the most obvious. There is no perfect product and any
company
> worth their salt will try to meet/exceed the needs of their customers
and
> fix any problems they find along the way. I am not going to say
Microsoft
> is the best company in the world about this but they do have an option
> available for you to use to keep your machine updated and patched from
> the problems and vulnerabilities (as well as product improvements in
some
> cases) - and it's free to you.
>
> Windows Update
> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
>
> Go there and scan your machine for updates. Always get the critical
ones as
> you see them. Write down the KB###### or Q###### you see when
> selecting the updates and if you have trouble over the next few days,
> go into your control panel (Add/Remove Programs), match up the latest
> numbers you downloaded recently (since you started noticing an issue)
and
> uninstall them. If there was more than one (usually is), install them
back
> one by one - with a few hours of use in between, to see if the problem
> returns. Yes - the process is not perfect (updating) and can cause
trouble
> like I mentioned - but as you can see, the solution isn't that bad -
and is
> MUCH better than the alternatives.
>
> Windows is not the only product you likely have on your PC. The
> manufacturers of the other products usually have updates as well. New
> versions of almost everything come out all the time - some are free,
some
> are pay - some you can only download if you are registered - but it is
best
> to check. Just go to their web pages and look under their support and
> download sections. For example, for Microsoft Office update, you
should
> visit:
>
> Microsoft Office Updates
> http://office.microsoft.com/
> (and select "downloads")
>
> You also have hardware on your machine that requires drivers to
interface
> with the operating system. You have a video card that allows you to
see on
> your screen, a sound card that allows you to hear your PCs sound
output and
> so on. Visit those manufacturer web sites for the latest downloadable
> drivers for your hardware/operating system. Always (IMO) get the
> manufacturers hardware driver over any Microsoft offers. On the
Windows
> Update site I mentioned earlier, I suggest NOT getting their hardware
> drivers - no matter how tempting. First - how do you know what
hardware
> you have in your computer? Invoice or if it is up and working now -
take
> inventory:
>
> Belarc Advisor
> http://belarc.com/free_download.html
>
> Once you know what you have, what next? Go get the latest driver for
your
> hardware/OS from the manufacturer's web page. For example, let's say
you
> have an NVidia chipset video card or ATI video card, perhaps a
Creative
> Labs sound card or C-Media chipset sound card...
>
> NVidia Video Card Drivers
> http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
>
> ATI Video Card Drivers
> http://www.atitech.com/support/driver.html
>
> Creative Labs Sound Device
> http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/
>
> C-Media Sound Device
> http://www.cmedia.com.tw/e_download_01.htm
>
> As for Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP, Microsoft has made this
> particular patch available in a number of ways. First, there is the
> Windows Update web page above. Then there is a direct download site
> and finally, you can order the FREE CD from Microsoft.
>
> Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP
> http://snipurl.com/8bqy
>
> Order the Free Windows XP SP2 CD
> http://snipurl.com/8umo
>
> Microsoft also have a bunch of suggestions, some similar to these,
> on how to better protect your Windows system:
>
> Protect your PC
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
>
>
> FIREWALL
> --------
>
> Let's say you are up-to-date on the OS (operating system) and you have
> Windows XP.. You should at least turn on the built in firewall. That
will
> do a lot to "hide" you from the random bad things flying around the
> Internet. Things like Sasser/Blaster enjoy just sitting out there in
> Cyberspace looking for an unprotected Windows Operating System and
jumping
> on it, doing great damage in the process and then using that
Unprotected OS
> to continue its dirty work of infecting others. If you have the
Windows XP
> FW turned on - default configuration - then they cannot see you!
Think of
> it as Internet Stealth Mode at this point. It has other advantages,
like
> actually locking the doors you didn't even (likely) know you had.
Doing
> this is simple, some helpful tips for the SP2 enabled firewall can be
found
> here:
>
>
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/cableguy/cg0204.mspx
>
> If you read through that and look through the pages that are linked
from it
> throughout - I think you should have a firm grasp on the basics of the
> Windows XP Firewall as it is today. One thing to note RIGHT NOW - if
you
> have AOL, you cannot use this nice firewall that came with your
system.
> Thank AOL, not Microsoft. You HAVE to configure another one.. So we
> continue with our session on Firewalls...
>
> But let's say you DON'T have Windows XP - you have some other OS like
> Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT, 2000. Well, you don't have the nifty
built in
> firewall. My suggestion - upgrade. My next suggestion - look through
your
> options. There are lots of free and pay firewalls out there for home
users.
> Yes - you will have to decide on your own which to get. Yes, you will
have
> to learn (oh no!) to use these firewalls and configure them so they
don't
> interfere with what you want to do while continuing to provide the
security
> you desire. It's just like anything else you want to protect - you
have to
> do something to protect it. Here are some suggested applications. A
lot of
> people tout "ZoneAlarm" as being the best alternative to just using
the
> Windows XP FW, but truthfully - any of these alternatives are much
better
> than the Windows XP FW at what they do - because that is ALL they do.
>
> ZoneAlarm (Free and up)
> http://snipurl.com/6ohg
>
> Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) (Free and up)
> http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html
>
> Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (Free and up)
> http://www.agnitum.com/download/
>
> Sygate Personal Firewall (Free and up)
> http://smb.sygate.com/buy/download_buy.htm
>
> Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall (~$25 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/
>
> BlackICE PC Protection ($39.95 and up)
> http://blackice.iss.net/
>
> Tiny Personal Firewall (~$49.00 and up)
> http://www.tinysoftware.com/
>
> That list is not complete, but they are good firewall options, every
one of
> them. Visit the web pages, read up, ask around if you like - make a
> decision and go with some firewall, any firewall. Also, maintain it.
> Sometimes new holes are discovered in even the best of these products
and
> patches are released from the company to remedy this problem.
However, if
> you don't get the patches (check the manufacturer web page on
occasion),
> then you may never know you have the problem and/or are being used
through
> this weakness. Also, don't stack these things. Running more than one
> firewall will not make you safer - it would likely (in fact) negate
some
> protection you gleamed from one or the other firewalls you run.
>
>
> ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
> ------------------
>
> That's not all. That's one facet of a secure PC, but firewalls don't
do
> everything. I saw one person posting on a newsgroup that "they had
> never had a virus and they never run any anti-virus software." Yep -
I used
> to believe that way too - viruses were something everyone else seemed
to
> get, were they just careless? And for the average joe-user who is
careful,
> uses their one to three family computers carefully, never opening
unknown
> email attachments, always visiting the same family safe web sites,
never
> installing anything that did not come with their computer - maybe,
just
> maybe they will never witness a virus. I, however, am a Network
Systems
> Administrator. I see that AntiVirus software is an absolute necessity
given
> how most people see their computer as a toy/tool and not something
> they should have to maintain and upkeep. After all, they were
invented to
> make life easier, right - not add another task to your day. You
> can be as careful as you want - will the next person be as careful?
Will
> someone send you unknowingly the email that erases all the pictures of
your
> child/childhood? Possibly - why take the chance? ALWAYS RUN
ANTIVIRUS
> SOFTWARE and KEEP IT UP TO DATE! Antivirus software comes in so many
> flavors, it's like walking into a Jelly Belly store - which one tastes
like
> what?! Well, here are a few choices for you. Some of these are free
(isn't
> that nice?) and some are not. Is one better than the other - MAYBE.
>
> Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus (~$11 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/
>
> Kaspersky Anti-Virus (~$49.95 and up)
> http://www.kaspersky.com/products.html
>
> Panda Antivirus Titanium (~$39.95 and up)
> http://www.pandasoftware.com/
> (Free Online Scanner: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/)
>
> AVG 6.0 Anti-Virus System (Free and up)
> http://www.grisoft.com/
>
> McAfee VirusScan (~$11 and up)
> http://www.mcafee.com/
>
> AntiVir (Free and up)
> http://www.free-av.com/
>
> avast! 4 (Free and up)
> http://www.avast.com/
>
> Trend Micro (~$49.95 and up)
> http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm
> (Free Online Scanner:
> http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp)
>
> RAV AntiVirus Online Virus Scan (Free!)
> http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/
>
> Did I mention you have to not only install this software, but also
keep it
> updated? You do. Some of them (most) have automatic services to help
you
> do this - I mean, it's not your job to keep up with the half-dozen or
more
> new threats that come out daily, is it? Be sure to keep whichever one
you
> choose up to date!
>
>
> SPYWARE/ADWARE/POPUPS/HIJACKS
> -----------------------------
>
> So you must be thinking that the above two things got your back now -
you
> are covered, safe and secure in your little fox hole. Wrong! There
are
> more bad guys out there. There are annoyances out there you can get
without
> trying. Your normal web surfing, maybe a wrong click on a web page,
maybe
> just a momentary lack of judgment by installing some software packages
> without doing the research.. And all of a sudden your screen starts
filling
> up with advertisements or your Internet seems much slower or your home
page
> won't stay what you set it and goes someplace unfamiliar to you. This
is
> spyware. There are a whole SLEW of software packages out there to get
rid
> of this crud and help prevent reinfection. Some of the products
already
> mentioned might even have branched out into this arena. However,
there are
> a few applications that seem to be the best at what they do, which is
> eradicating and immunizing your system from this crap. Strangely, the
best
> products I have found in this category ARE generally free. That is a
trend
> I like. I make donations to some of them, they deserve it!
>
> Two side-notes: Never think one of these can do the whole job.
> Try the first 5 before coming back and saying "That did not work!"
> Also, you can always visit:
> http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
> For more updated information.
>
> Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
> http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
>
> Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
> http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
>
> CWShredder (Free!)
> ** No longer updated as of July 29, 2004 - however, still a great
> product and should still be ran **
> http://www.softbasket.com/download/s_8114.shtml
>
> Hijack This! (Free)
> http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
> ( Tutorial: http://hjt.wizardsofwebsites.com/ )
>
> SpywareBlaster (Free!)
> http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
>
> IE-SPYAD (Free!)
> https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
>
> ToolbarCop (Free!)
> http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.htm
>
> Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
> http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
>
> Browser Security Tests
> http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
>
> Popup Tester
> http://www.popuptest.com/
>
> The Cleaner (49.95 and up)
> http://www.moosoft.com/
>
> That will clean up your machine of the spyware, given that you
download and
> install several of them, update them regularly and scan with them when
you
> update. Some (like SpywareBlaster and SpyBot Search and Destroy and
> IESPYAD)
> have/are immunization utilities that will help you prevent your PC
from
> being
> infected. Use these features!
>
> Unfortunately, although that will lessen your popups on the
Internet/while
> you are online, it won't eliminate them. I have looked at a lot of
options,
> seen a lot of them used in production with people who seem to attract
popups
> like a plague, and I only have one suggestion that end up serving
double
> duty (search engine and popup stopper in one):
>
> The Google Toolbar (Free!)
> http://toolbar.google.com/
>
> Yeah - it adds a bar to your Internet Explorer - but its a useful one.
You
> can search from there anytime with one of the best search engines on
the
> planet (IMO.) And the fact it stops most popups - wow - BONUS! If
you
> don't like that suggestion, then I am just going to say you go to
> www.google.com and search for other options. Please notice that
Windows XP
> SP2 does help stop popups as well. Another option is to use an
alternative
> Web browser. I suggest "Mozilla Firefox", as it has some great
features
> and is very easy to use:
>
> Mozilla Firefox
> http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
>
> One more suggestion, although I will suggest this in a way later, is
to
> disable your Windows Messenger service. This service is not used
frequently
> (if at all) by the normal home user and in cooperation with a good
firewall,
> is generally unnecessary. Microsoft has instructions on how to do
this for
> Windows XP here:
>
>
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp
>
>
> SPAM EMAIL/JUNK MAIL
> --------------------
>
> This one can get annoying, just like the rest. You get 50 emails in
one
> sitting and 2 of them you wanted. NICE! (Not.) What can you do?
Well,
> although there are services out there to help you, some email
> servers/services that actually do lower your spam with features built
into
> their servers - I still like the methods that let you be the
end-decision
> maker on what is spam and what isn't. If these things worked
perfectly, we
> wouldn't need people and then there would be no spam anyway - vicious
> circle, eh? Anyway - I have two products to suggest to you, look at
them
> and see if either of them suite your needs. Again, if they don't,
Google is
> free and available for your perusal.
>
> SpamBayes (Free!)
> http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/
>
> Spamihilator (Free!)
> http://www.spamihilator.com/
>
> As I said, those are not your only options, but are reliable ones I
have
> seen function for hundreds+ people.
>
>
> DISABLE (Set to Manual) UNUSED SERVICE/STARTUP APPS
> ---------------------------------------------------
>
> I might get arguments on putting this one here, but it's my spill.
There are
> lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on by default you
don't
> use. Why have them on? Check out these web pages to see what all of
the
> services you might find on your computer are and set them according to
your
> personal needs. Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and take heed and
write
> down as you change things! Also, don't expect a large performance
increase
> or anything - especially on today's 2+ GHz machines, however - I look
at
> each
> service you set to manual as one less service you have to worry about
> someone exploiting. A year ago, I would have thought the Windows
Messenger
> service to be pretty safe, now I recommend (with addition of a
firewall)
> that most home users disable it! Yeah - this is another one you have
to
> work for, but your computer may speed up and/or be more secure because
you
> took the time. And if you document what you do as you do it, next
time, it
> goes MUCH faster! (or if you have to go back and re-enable things..)
>
> Task List Programs
> http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
>
> Black Viper's Service List and Opinions (XP)
> http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
>
> Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP
> http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/
>
> There are also applications that AREN'T services that startup when you
start
> up the computer/logon. One of the better description on how to handle
these
> I have found here:
>
> Startups
> http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
>
>
> That's it. A small booklet on how to keep your computer secure, clean
of
> scum and more user friendly. I am SURE I missed something, almost as
I am
> sure you won't read all of it (anyone for that matter.) However, I
also
> know that someone who followed all of the advice above would also have
less
> problems with their PC, less problems with viruses, less problems with
spam,
> fewer problems with spyware and better performance than someone who
didn't.
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> --
> <- Shenan ->
> --
> The information is provided "as is", it is suggested you research for
> yourself before you take any advice - you are the one ultimately
> responsible for your actions/problems/solutions. Know what you are
> getting into before you jump in with both feet.
>
>
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