We still have some work to do… Part of this involves uninstalling Windows XP Service Pack 3 and then downloading and installing a fresh copy.
Use the hidden $NtServicePackUninstall$ folder
Click Start, click Run, copy/paste the following into the open run box, then click OK. c:\windows\$NtServicePackUninstall$\spuninst\spuninst.exe
When the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Removal Wizard starts, click Next.
Follow the instructions on the screen to remove Windows XP SP3.
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Then go to MS to download and reinstall the service pack:
Download the latest Windows XP service pack from the Microsoft Download Center
You can download the stand-alone update package from the Download Center.
This page will say that this installation package is intended for IT professionals and developers. However, you can safely download this file.
I tried to remove Service Pack 3 but when it had run through it said that "The system cannot find the file specified" and I clicked OK and then it said that Service Pack 3 was not uninstalled and it closes my internet connection. I tried it twice.
When I look at My Computer properties it shows that I am running Service Pack 3. I have downloaded the other Service Pack 3 from the link you sent me, but didn't know if I should run that one anyway? Will it overwrite the current version or is there something else I need to do to uninstall?
Hi,
Ok since you have Windows XP Service Pack 3 on your system already and you can see it through Add/Remove Programs, please try to uninstall it from there.
If you are not able to do so we will need to overinstall service pack 3 on top of the one you have now. Use the same link that I provided earlier for the download of Windows XP SP3. If you have any problems let me know…if not, when finished, check for any updates for Windows and also run a fresh scan with ComboFix.
Okay, I have been working on this all morning! Firstly, I tried to remove Service Pack 3 through Add/ Remove Programs but was unable to. There was not an option to do this.
I successfully installed the new Windows XP SP3 from the link that you gave me and checked for updates. There were 5 Security updates which I installed and this restarted the computer.
Then I ran ComboFix again. It rebooted the computer again and the report is attached.
Hi,
I would advise that you make a backup of all your personal documents, music, photos and videos that you would not like to lose. Not to make you worried about something at all, but just more of a precaution than anything right now.
Do you have your Windows XP installation disk by chance? If so, what version do you have? Is it a version with Service Pack 3 on it?
Let me know when you get that finished up.
Okay, not to appear ignorant, but how do I back up those items? What's the easiest way to back up? I think I'm looking at an external hard drive, aren't I? Any recommendations (for minimum spend but maximum reliability)
And I do have the reinstallation CD for Windows XP from Dell, but it only has Service Pack 1a on it.
If you have a USB drive with a lot of space on it that would be fine or you can just copy all of your files, pics, music to a CD(s). Remember we are just backing up the thing you would like to keep for sure…the software we could always replace with discs, but pictures and the like can't be.
And I do have the reinstallation CD for Windows XP from Dell, but it only has Service Pack 1a on it.
Ok thanks for letting me know. Let me know when you get all of your personal files, music and pictures backed up.
I ordered the external hard drive anyway - probably a good idea. And I don't have a large capacity USB or any disks. When I had to look to see the size of the picture files, etc, I have 12GB on My Pictures and 30GB on My Music and probably quite a lot on My Documents! That would be a lot of memory stick or disks!
It should arrive tomorrow, so it might be another day before I get back to you when I have backed everything up.
