NOTE: Always turn off system restore, and reboot into safe mode when removing viruses and spyware. This is the safest way to completely remove unwanted viruses and spyware utilities installed on your pc.

Always be sure to go to the Microsoft update site and download the security updates. And any other downloads deemed necessary!

To turn off System Restore:

Open your start menu, and then go to My Computer. R-click mouse button, click on properties. Go to the System Restore Tab, put a check mark in "Turn off System Restore on all Drives. (Restart your pc to clear out old files saved in system restore) Repeat processes to re-enable System Restore.

To boot into safe mode:

Open your start menu, go to "Run” Type in "msconfig"(without quotation marks). This will open your System Configuration Folder. Select the BOOT.INI tap, put a checkmark in /SAFEBOOT. Click apply, you will be asked to reboot for these settings to take effect. You will now reboot into safe mode. When you are done doing your virus and spyware scans and removals, repeat the processes and uncheck /SAFEBOOT. And on the “General Tap” Click “Normal Startup”.

Booting into your BIOs

To change your start-up device

You will need to change the boot order in your BIOs setup. To boot from the Floppy or CD-ROM.

It would depend on your computer manufacture. Assuming that your PC is from about 1985 or later, it should have an integrated setup program. You've probably seen a notice on your PC's screen at start-up about the BIOS setup many times. When your computer is getting itself going, the BIOS usually places a brief message on the screen telling you how to activate the BIOS setup menu to show up. The message might say something like this: "Press F2 for setup." (F2 is just used as an example.)

Try the following key combinations, which I have listed approximately in order of popularity in today's system (there may be others as well): You would need to do this as your system is booting-up. If it doesn't work the first time, just keep trying it over and over until you get into the BIOs setup screen.

*{Delete} (modern Award and AMI BIOS)

*{F2} (modern Phoenix BIOS)

*{Ctrl}+{Alt}+{Esc}

*{Ctrl}+{Esc}

*{Alt}+{Esc}

*{Ctrl}+{Alt}+{S}

*{Insert}

*{F1}

*{F8}

*{F9}

*Or consult your system manufacturer for the key combination.

Once in the BIOs screen, look for boot devices, Boot order, boot-up devices. (You should see something similar). As each type of motherboard is slightly different.

It will say something along the lines of Boot Order.

Kinda like this

Boot Device 1 - HHD (or Hard Drive)

Boot Device 2 - CDROM

Boot Device 3 - Floppy

Etc.

You will need to set the first boot device as Floppy Disk.

But be sure to set which ever was your floppy drive to your Hard Drive.

Enable XP Firewall:

When you're online, your computer passes information to and from the Internet through ports, or open connections. A port's number identifies the type of information passing through it. For example, port 80 is used for HTTP traffic, so page requests and WebPages being downloaded all come through port 80.

Hackers usually try to sneak into your computer through an unguarded and open port. Luckily, Microsoft's Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall helps you close ports you aren't using.

Here's how to enable the XP firewall:

Log into XP with an owner account.
Click the Start button and select Control Panel. Double-click the Network Connections icon.
In the Network Connections window, click to highlight the connection you want to protect. In the left panel, under Network Tasks, click "change settings of this connection."
When the connection status dialog box opens, click the Properties button.
In the Properties dialog box, click the advanced tab. Check the box beneath "Internet Connection Firewall." If you leave it unchecked, the firewall is off. If you aren't running any servers on your computer, just click OK. If you run an FTP or Web server, you need to change the advanced settings.

Enable or Disable XP SP2 Firewall:

Here is how to enable or disable the new firewall in SP2

Log into XP with an owner account.
Click the Start button and select Control Panel.
Select Network And Internet Connections.
Click the “Windows Firewall” Icon.
Now you can enable or disable the Windows Firewall.
Click OK and your done.

For those who prefer the “Classic” look.

1. Log into XP with an owner account.

2. Click the Start button and select Control Panel.

3. Here you will see the “Windows Firewall” Icon.

4. Click the “Windows Firewall” Icon.

5. Now you can enable or disable the Windows Firewall.

6. Click OK and your done.

(it is not advised to disable the firewall unless you have another firewall application installed).

XP Repair:

(Also called a dirty install by some).

There are two types of repair on XP. When you boot with the XP disk. You will come to the first part that asks if you want to install or do a repair. This first repair is a command prompt type for a specific repair.

AT THIS POINT! If you click on install XP instead, you will see XP load files as it get ready to install the OS. When it gets done loading files, you will again be asked to install XP or to repair your current OS. At this second repair option, click to repair and sit back. XP will go through your whole system searching and repairing parts that have been changed or need to be replaced. BUT REMEMBER!! With any repair, you will need your CD KEY. And you MUST go to windows update and re-download some of the updates because the repair will remove some of them.

System File Check:

If you have your XP CD, do a system file check. This way you will have all damaged or missing dlls and system files replaced.

Put your XP install cd in your cdrom drive and go to start > run and type
sfc /scannow
hit enter.

It will start windows file protection and compare all files to the original install or update patches (The $NTuninstall files in windows).

If it says failed, hit retry, it just means something is using it and you have to hit retry to pause the process. It may take two or three clicks of retry to get through.

Restart computer.

Using “chkdsk /r”

If you have a XP CD, boot to it, like you are going to install, then there is a choice to go to the repair console, when you get to the command prompt type "chkdsk /r" without quotes, make sure to have a space between the "k" and the "/r". It may take an hour or more for it to complete the repair. See if it helps your problem.

Fix MBR:

(Master Boot Record)

Fix the Master Boot Record on NTFS Partitions

Windows NT, 2000, XP, and Windows Server 2003 users having problems accessing or booting from an NTFS disk can use the FIXMBR program to rewrite a new Master Boot Record on the hard drive.

Boot from the windows XP CD, press the "R" key in the setup in order to start the restoration console. Select your windows XP installation from the list, and enter the administrator password.
Enter the command: "FIXMBR" (without the quotes) at the input prompt and confirm the next question with a "Y" (without the quotes). Use exit to restore the computer.

Defragging the Prefetch File:

Go to run, and then type in “cmd”, (without the quotes). And a black window will pop up with the c:\ prompt. On that line just type in “defrag c: -b” (without the quotes) and it will defrag the prefetch file for you. When it is done just type exit and the window will close and you are done.

If the file was really fragmented you will notice a difference in the time it takes to boot up Windows, usually faster.

Turn Off Error Reporting:

When a system error occurs in XP, a little dialog box appears asking if you want to report the error to Microsoft. Click the message box to make it disappear. You don't have to report the error if you don't want to.

To disable error reporting, follow these directions:

Right-click My Computer and choose Properties.
Click the Advanced tab on your System Properties dialog box.
Click the Error Reporting button on the advanced tab.
Place a checkmark next to "Disable error reporting."
Leave the other radio button unchecked next to the text labeled, "But notify me when critical errors occur."
Click OK.

Disable Driver Signing:

Getting a warning about that driver your installing?

Disable the driver signing error by going to your start menu, then to your "My Computer" icon. R-Click, and then down to properties. Click on properties, and then open the "Hardware Tab". In the Device Manger section, click on Driver Signing. Check the "ignore" section. Then click OK.

How to start and run the “Help and Support Center”

To start the Help and Support Center, press the F1 Key.

To run Help and Support, go to your “Start Menu” and click the “Help and Support” Icon.

(If you don’t see the H&P icon, open your start menu. On the top where it lists your user name, r-click and it will show “properties”. Click on properties. Go to customize then customize start menu, then to advanced. Scroll down the list of start menu items until you see “Help And Support”. Place a check in the box, click apply and exit. It will now show in your start menu.

Cleaning out the Prefetch File:

More on the prefetch

XP Activation:

To see if your copy of XP is activated;

Type this into “Run” on your Start Menu to see if your copy of windows is activated.

oobe/msoobe /a

Key Finder - Windows activation key

The Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder is a freeware utility that retrieves your Product Key (cd key) used to install windows from your registry. It has the options to copy the key to clipboard, save it to a text file, or print it for safekeeping

Password Restore Disk:

XP's Forgotten Password Wizard, your conscience will be free and clear should your mind happen to accidentally misplace your user password.

Here's how to launch the Forgotten Password Wizard to create your very own password recovery disk.

Click Start menu, Control Panel, and User Accounts.
Click your user account name.
Under Related Tasks on the left, click "Prevent forgotten password" to launch the wizard.

Now that you've launched the wizard, let it walk you through creating the recovery disk. Make sure the disk you use is formatted and in the drive. After it's finished creating the disk, label it and stash it away for an emergency.

If you happen to forget your password, all you need to do is click your user icon at the logon screen. Even though you don't have your password, go ahead and click the green arrow just like you would to finish logging on to your computer. This will launch a little yellow dialog box directing you to use your password recovery disk.

Don't lose the disk, however, or you're out of luck.