Windows XP and Virus Problem - Solved!

Here it is!
- Aug 19th, 2011

Brief history:
I installed Windows XP OS long time back (OS is operating system, that on which all our programs like Windows Word, Power point, Excel, etc. or your favorite notepad, etc., or on which the Internet Explorer thru which u browse internet,etc. exists) I remember, got virus on Windows XP, and the computer reboots (restarts) as soon as I login (enter user name, and password), with-in a minute of time. This loop continued of I try to login, then I get a message saying, computer is going to restart in 1 minute, forever.

That was long ago.
I was novice that time, could not make out what it was exactly
suffered a lot. :-)

Right now:
I am a advanced user, I shud be able to do all things myself.
So, soon i tried my on old system (computer), installing the same Windows XP.
By this time, Windows XP (the original released one, also called as RTM), has 3 service packs (SP1, SP2, SP3), actually SP1 is called as SP1a, and SP1a is almost identical to SP2, for our context, lets say, they both are same.
By the way, a service pack is a collection of patches (similar to cloth patch that some occasionally make for a pant or shirt) that are released over a year by the creator of Windows XP, i.e; The Microsoft Company, into one single .exe that you can install at once (instead of all the patches one-by-one, wasting your precious time). By the way, each patch covers a hole in OS (i.e; Windows XP here) thru which the virus comes in from the INTERNET or some other external media like USB/PenDrive/Floppy/CD/DVD,etc.

Fine. :-)

What is the summary?

Microsoft company released, Windows XP OS & related, in the below order:

1. Windows XP RTM
2. SP1a
3. SP2 (mostly same as SP1a)
4. SP3

Ok, since u have a Windows XP on your system, you would have a CD thru which you can install the Windows XP again.

Assuming you have CD that contains Windows XP, lets continue.

Important things to do before going ahead with below:
1. Take a print of this page/ or write down the whole/important parts that you would require)
2. If key is written on Windows XP CD, write it down on a paper.
The key contains alphabets and number combinations
If you don't have the key, it will be inside the CD too.
3. If you are connected to INTERNET, with a wire connection, unplug (remove) the cable


Windows XP installation
So, you have Windows XP OS on CD, you put it in the CD drive (hardware, i.e, physical one that you can touch, insert a CD into, press the "triangle facing upward" button the CD drive will open, place the CD inside it so that the writings on the CD face upward, again press the same "triangle facing upward" button, so that it closes back)

If its already restarting by itself, then nothing to do
Else restart you system, by pressing "Start" button on ur screen, the click on "Turn Off Computer", then click on "Restart" button (WAIT! if you are reading this, take a print, or write down, then do the above)

While you restart computer
You will be asked to press DEL key to go to CMOS screen (or something), goto "Advanced Peripherals", then select the "FIRST BOOT" as "CD Drive" (instead of Floppy or something that you already have), follow the screen instructions, possibly instructions are written on the bottom of the screen, for me, it was "Page Up" and "Page Down" keys (on keyboard) to change the above setting.
Ok, once done, press Escape key (on keyboard) to go back to main screen, and then using arrow keys (on keyboard), select "Save And Exit" (or something similar) and press Y to exit, the computer will restart and, this time, it boots from CD (not the hard disk, where the Virus is there)

You will asked/given number of options to select
do you want to install on which drive, to format the drive, etc. - select as you require - or press next where possible - make sure you install a "fresh" copy instead of "repair" (Windows XP has so many viruses that we cant imagine)

Installation takes some 30 minutes time
The computer will restart multiple times

Then you will be asked:
1. Network settings
give "automatic"
or, if you have a DNS and other settings give them
2. Users
if you are asked users of the computer
give your name (ex: User1 account) & some other user name (ex: User2 account)

Once all done, you will be shown User1 and User2, to login, for now there wont be any password, so enter into User2

After you login to User2, goto below path:
Start > Control Panel > User Accounts
1. Click on "Home" button, click on User1
2. click on "Change User Type", select the "Limited" (instead of Administrator), click OK
3. Click on set password, give a password (ex: Password1)
Repeat the above steps 1 and 3 (not 2), and set password for User2 (ex: Password2)

Now log-off from User2
Start > Log Off

Enter into User1 (with password given, Password1 in my case)
---------------

What did we achieve till here?
Answer:
We logged in as a Limited User, not Administrator User -- this does the trick, Virus now cannot do any thing to ur computer
Side effect:
As you are Limited User (with less rights on the computer) you cannot install any software, but that is not a problem, what you need is to Right Click on install file (.exe/.msi) that you want to install, and click on "Run As", give credentials of User2 (who is administrator, i.e; the one who has full rights), installation is always one time only (unless something goes wrong later), and later, to the run the installed program, you can directly double-click on the icons on your desktop, etc.

Ok

>> Download Windows XP SP2 from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=28

when prompted for "Save", always save in D:\ or E:\, else save on C:\ (you cannot save on CD drive)

And

>> Download Windows XP SP3 from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=24


Now

>> Install the above downloaded "Windows XP SP2" (with "Run As" option mentioned above)
then, similarly
>> Install "Windows XP SP3"

Each of the above installation may take 1/2 to a full 1 hour of time, depending on your computer speed (CPU) and memory (RAM), and for both you will be prompted for restart, and promptly do so.
------------------

Ok
Till now, what did we achieve?
We installed Windows XP, then SP1, then SP2

Now,
------
>> Download "Internet Explorer 8" for "Windows XP" from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=43

>> Install the "Internet Explorer 8"

this is the program thru which u can browse (that is supported for Windows XP)
------

>> Download "Avast" Anti Virus from here, click here.

>> Install "Avast" Anti Virus

Ok, if you have experienced the Virus, u know what it is
if you dint, it shows you horror film (in which you are a victim), everyday.
So, Anti Virus, is the one who will rescue you, and give a peaceful life.
So, install the above.

If the Avast asks for registration, then its simple, give details as asked, your email id, etc. - you wont be asked again for registration until next year (then u can re-register with the same email)
Also, don't worry about virus anymore, the Avast Anti Virus updates (also called as VPS) itself daily as you connect to INTERNET and saves you.
If you don't have internet, then you can install Avast Anti Virus updates (VPS) manually, by downloading them from here: http://www.avast.com/download-update

------

Almost we are at the end of this horror essay :-)
------

From the next time onwards, you always enter the computer, with Limited user only (User1) --- only if you need to install anything user the "RunAs" method above with User2 (who is Administrator, i.e; who has rights to do anything)

As you are logging in as User1, a Limited user, you are safe for ever (atleast we can say so for as of today, unless something very intelligent happens, that AntiVirus cannot find, i.e; it happens when your antivirus database (VPS) is out-of-date, i.e; you didn't connect to INTERNET for a number of days, and you dint install it manually)

Thats it!

You can launch the Internet Explorer
Browse Internet
Go on with life...
At peace!


Your Virus Problem - Solved!

Best of luck!

Feel free to comment
(my hand is paining, as I typed this entry, so long!)