Re: Windows XP Home reinstall.

From: Gary (anonymous_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 05/31/04 

Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 17:27:33 -0700

>-----Original Message-----
>"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."
>.
>

Ron ...

Thank you!

Downloaded/installed/ran Ad-aware 6.

First run found 23 'objects'.

Deleted all of same and system now works as intended.

Including Restart!

Awesome program and excellent advice.

All of which I'm working on applying.

Thanks again for your considerate and very helpful effort.

Gary