Re: Windows XP Home reinstall.

From: Ron Martell (ron_at_onlinehelp.bc.ca)
Date: 05/30/04 

Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 07:59:39 GMT

"Gary" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Hello to all ...
>
>In 2002 I purchased Windows XP Home Edition ( Upgrade
>Edition ) to upgrade my Windows 98 HP desktop ( my only
>computer ).
>
>Since purchasing the software .. and for reasons of a
>fresh start ... I've reinstalled it numerous times on the
>same HP desktop ( which has in no way changed since
>2002 ).
>
>My latest reinstallation succeeded ... but only barely.
>
>There are numerous problems on a software level such as
>inability to turn my computer off via the Start menu.
>
>My software retailer tells me that Microsoft might be
>viewing my multiple reinstalls as 'suspicious' and
>purposely negatively affecting my computer via the
>Microsoft Product Activation procedure.
>
>Could this be true?
>
>And if so is there a workaround?
>

Nope. Total and absolute rubbish.

If there is an activation related issue with respect to your computer
then you will get a message that specifically says that it is an
activation or product license related issue.

For help in resolving your shutdown related problem see MVP Jim
Eshelman's Shutdown Troubleshooter for Windows XP at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/shtdwnxp.htm

Many performance related issues plaguing computers these days can be
traced to the plague of advertising spyware that afflicts most users.

In order to clean a computer of spyware I suggest a multiple-program
approach.

1. Download, install, update and run AdAware (free) from
www.lavasoft.de It is a good utility and very reliable. Pretty much
everything that AdAware detects is something that should be removed
from your computer and there are seldom any problems resulting from
letting AdAware do so. About the only item that I am aware is that
AdAware will remove the spyware that Kazaa installs and Kazaa will not
run if that spyware is not present.

2. Download and run CWShredder (free) from
http://www.aumha.org/downloads/cwshredder.zip This is a specialty
program that detects and removes CoolWebSearch, one of the most
noxious forms of spyware and one that the other programs have trouble
dealing with.

3. Download, install, update and run Spybot Search and Destroy (free)
from http://www.safer-networking.org/ This program is a bit more
agressive than AdAware and therefore is more likely to flag items that
perhaps should not be removed. For this reason I suggest using it
after AdAware has been run and the vast majority of the spyware stuff
has been deleted. Spybot will often find things that AdAware misses
(and vice versa) because the two programs use a different approach to
identifying the spyware items. Using the two of the provides a pretty
effective one-two punch.

4. Download, install, configure, update and run SpywareBlaster (free)
from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html This works
like an antivirus program to prevent spyware from getting installed in
the first place. With the free version you have to do a regular
manual check for updates. The paid version includes an automatic
update function.

Hope this is of some assistance.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada 

-- 
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."