Looks like this service pac 3 in causing bad problems with some puters. I guess I lucked out and mine is ok. I use Norton anti virus too. So,, if you ain't put it in yet. I would suggest y'all waite a bit..
http://us.f391.mail.yahoo.com/ym/ShowLetter?box=Inbox&M...1502_71028_567643322
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesper/archive/2008/05/...stalling-xp-sp3.aspx

that is a pretty good post Hobbles. I have installed SP3 on about 20 PCs at work since it came out everything from HP, Toshiba, IBM and Dell laptops and Tangent and Dell Desktop PCs have not had any problems yet but I am glad people are posting their problems it sure helps when one goes bad to find a fix. We primarily use Dell PCs but we have a few Rouge ones that I have not been able to get rid of yet.

I can see if a PC has spy ware programs on their pc and freaking out once the service pack is installed. most of them all find legitimate files as malware one time or another. I use Avast Antivirus and Symantec at work and they have not balked at the service pack. I don't have a real preference when it comes to spyware removal software. it does not seem like any of them clear out everything. I end up using at least 4 or 5 to clear a pc and waste a bunch of time. I usually just back up the data and use Dariks boot and nuke to wipe the HDD and reinstall windows it is usually faster then fooling with the spyware. And I do not use Internet Explorer and I advise other people not to as well. use Firefox, Opera, Safari anything else... too many attacks against Microsoft to use IE..

Keep up the good info

Mornin Riverrat70
I agree with you bout usin IE. When I first decided to get into puters was back in 1990 and I felt the same way bout IE and AOL. I started with Netscape. That was when you had to buy it. (before aol bought it) Like any new program it had a few bugs and I found one and figured out how to fix it, then e mailed Netscape and told them about it. They sent me a T shirt with their logo on it and a thank you, That's no biggie to some but it was to me. I still have the t shirt.
I just got the Wife to try Firefox after 1 1/2 years of tellin her to try it. Now she is tellin all her friends in NZ and here how great and better it is. She even uses yahoo for the browser now.
I use Ad-ware, Spybot, cwshredder, Zone Alarm and CCCleaner plus the ones that come with other programs with no problems, YET, But I do worry every time I update them.
You say you reinstall the opt system from time to time. That is a very good thing to do. You get a fresh system and it runs better and faster. I have done that with every opt system starting with 3.1 but have not done it with XP yet. When I did mine I would just use dos format with the /u and wipe out the c:/. All my programs and files are on other drives and with task bar it made it kinda simple. I remember when a HD was as big as a building brick and cost a lot. We had a virus out back then that would eat the first part of the HD and would not run. So we would use Disk Manager and lie to the HD and tell it it was a little smaller then it thought it was and it would work fine, There seems to be a back door to almost anything with puters.
I finally got the Wife to write everything dowm that I tell her and when she can't remember how to do something to look it up on the 3 by 5's instead of asking me over and over. (I used to do the same thing) I told her in 6 months She will look through those cards and laugh at her self as she throws them away. All programs work basically the same and puters are not all that complicated. (there are times when that statement is SO wrong)
Now if I can get her to let me put a new mother board in it, she will have a faster, newer, better running puter.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hobbles,

Hey Hobbles

I have used all those spyware programs and they all do a fairly good job. I look at it more of a time thing at least at work. I can copy data, nuke and pave the HDD and have afresh install and data back on board in about 2.5 hrs with the usual interruptions and have the PC fresh new and back to the user. I tend to tinker more with my own PC but honestly since I have been using Firefox since 2002 I have only had one attack of spyware. From 1998 till 2003 I did not even use anti virus software. I just watched where I went on the internet, but I got one whopper of a virus and I lost everything so I started using AVG free antivirus and now I use Avast free edition and have not had a virus in a long time at least 4 years.

Speaking of motherboards it is time to build a new PC I want try some of the new stuff(at home) my old one I built in 2004 and it works great but there is some pretty neat new things I would like to try.

Afternoon Riverrat70
I like this place.

Yea Tiger Direct is good I like them too.
Check out NewEggthey have real good prices and I really like their customer reviews. those guys don't pull any punches if they don't like the product.

Riverrat70
Thanks for the Newegg url. Looks interesting.