Hi
SFC did need a disk so I cancelled the scan.
Fair play, I suspected this may be the case.
I went ahead and installed IE7 anyway (sorry about that) and I can report that everything is now working.
OK and not a problem at all.
Are there any final cleanup operations I should do?
Indeed there is.
Random Access Memory Advice:Total RAM: 383 MB (50% free)
Though Microsoft claims XP will run with a mere 128 MB installed in my opinion a minimum of 1 GB is far better.
If you wish to upgrade the installed memory,
Crucial have a small scanner(CrucialScan.exe)which is perfectly safe to download and run. Which will advise if your system can support any upgraded memory modules. They cater for the US/UK and Europe.
Importance of Regular System Maintenance:I advice you read both of the below listed topics as this will go a long way to keeping your Computer performing well. Plus bare in mind my prior advice about upgrading the presently installed RAM(Random Access Memory).
Help! My computer is slow!Also so is this:
What to do if your Computer is running slowlyClean up with OTM:- Double-click OTM to start the program.
- Close all other programs apart from OTM as this step will require a reboot
- On the OTM main screen, press the CleanUp! button
- Say Yes to the prompt and then allow the program to reboot your computer.
The above process should clean up and remove the vast majority of scanners used and logs created etc.
Any left over merely delete yourself and empty the Recycle Bin.
Reset the System Restore points:- Create a new, clean System Restore point which you can use in case of future system problems:
- Press Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >>System Tools >> System Restore
- Select Create a restore point, then Next, type a name like All Clean then press the Create button and once it's done press Close
- Now remove old, infected System Restore points:
- Next click Start >> Run and type cleanmgr in the box and press OK
- Ensure the boxes for Recycle Bin, Temporary Files and Temporary Internet Files are checked, you can choose to check other boxes if you wish but they are not required.
- Select the More Options tab, under System Restore press Clean up... and say Yes to the prompt
- Press OK and Yes to confirm
Now some advice for on-line safety:Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware:This is a excellent application and I advise you keep this installed. Check for updates and run a scan once a week.
Other installed security software:
Your presently installed application,
Avast4 AntiVirus automatically checks for updates and downloads/installs them with every system reboot and or periodically if the machine is left running providing a internet connection is active.
I advise you also run a complete scan with this also once per week.
Erunt:Emergency Recovery Utility NT, I advice you keep this installed as a means to keep a complete backup of your registry and restore it when needed.
Myself I would actually create a new back up once per week as this along with System Restore may prove to be invaluable if something unforeseen occurs!
Keep your system updated:Microsoft releases patches for Windows and other products regularly:
Be careful when opening attachments and downloading files:- Never open email attachments, not even if they are from someone you know. If you need to open them, scan them with your antivirus program before opening.
- Never open emails from unknown senders.
- Beware of emails that warn about viruses that are spreading, especially those from antivirus vendors. These email addresses can be easily spoofed. Check the antivirus vendor websites to be sure.
- Be careful of what you download. Only download files from known sources. Also, avoid cracked programs. If you need a particular program that costs too much for you, try finding free alternatives on Sourceforge or Pricelessware.
Stop malicious scripts:Windows by default allow scripts (which is VBScript and JavaScript) to run and some of these scripts are malicious. Use
Noscript by Symantec or
Script Defender by AnalogX to handle these scripts.
Make your Internet Explorer safer:- From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
- Click once on the Security tab
- Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
- Click once on the Custom Level button.
- Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt
- Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable
- Change the Initialise and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable
- Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
- Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
- Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
- When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
- If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
- Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.
Avoid Peer to Peer software:P2P may be a great way to get lots of seemingly freeware, but it is a great way to get infected as well. There's no way to tell if the file being shared is infected. Worse still, some worms spread via P2P networks, infecting you as well. My advice avoid these types of software applications.
Advised Optional Installation:There is no sign of a software firewall installed on your system. Regardless if using a hardware type and or using the inbuilt Windows Service Pack 3 firewall this is a necessary application as it will also provide outbound protection where as the aforementioned do not.
I highly advise you download
ONE of the following firewalls and install it. Restart the computer for changes to take effect.
This article is a excellent resource regarding the aforementioned firewalls:
Understanding and Using FirewallsNote: If you opt for a software firewall application and you notice a system performance degradation, uninstall and re-enable the Windows firewall. Then try a software firewall application after you have addressed the system memory issue.
Optional update:Re-install XP Service Pack 2:-
Download can be found
here or the CD ordered for your country
here <--scroll down to and click on 'How to obtain Windows XP Service Pack 3 on a CD'
Please read this Microsoft
article before actually installing the aforementioned service pack.
Finally a educational source:To learn more about how to protect yourself while on the internet read this article by Tony Klein:
So how did I get infected in the first place?Some consider this article outdated, personally I still think it bares relevance and the author is well respected in the Anti-Malware community and by myself also!
Any questions? Feel free to ask, if not stay safe!