Virus protection after reinstalling windows xp?

No one offers support to pilfer licenses of such software. If you have a corporate license, you would not ask anymore questions and just use your 2005 antivirus. This area of discussion is pretty short.

As to old antivirus, years ago Symantec moved to yearly renewal fees. How else can they keep the doors open and the software updated? (No need to answer...) Toss your 2002 CD out or use it as a basis for a cheap upgrade or try Free AVG.

In closing, don't connect to the internet without:

a. A firewall.
b. Or SP2 and it's firewall up.

Bob

Gareth,

I'm pretty sure that Norton's AV 2002 is no longer supported by Symantec. This is perhaps why your computer is in such a mess, as the virus definitions for your Norton's product are out of date. The next antivirus product you get, you must make sure you check once or twice a week for updated virus definitions. If the Norton's 2005 product you have is in use elsewhere, you cannnot use it on another machine. But don't worry, there are plenty of good, free products available.

If this was me, I would do this.

1] Download the following installation files onto the existing computer, and copy them to a CD.

a) A Firewall. There's a free version called ZoneAlarm available from http://www.zonelabs.com
b) An Anti-virus. There are many good free versions. I use AVG 7 from Grisoft web site
c) 3 Anti-Spyware programs, all free, eg;
Spybot Search and Destroy, from http://www.safer-networking.org/
SpywareBlaster, from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html and
Microsoft AntiSpyware, from Microsoft?s web site
d) An Anti-Adware program, the best free program is Ad-Aware SE Personal from http://www.lavasoftusa.com

2] DO NOT install them on your exisiting setup if you are going to reinstall windows anyway. but keep the CD handy for when the re-install is complete.

3] When you have re-installed Windows, DO NOT connect to the internet straight away. You need to add a firewall. It is estimated that a computer un-protected by a firewall and connected to the internet (broadband especially), will be infected within 25 minutes of being connected.

Instead, use the CD you made above to copy the ZoneAlarm installation file to your computer, (the desktop is a good temporary place), and double click it to start the installation process. Once installed, do the same for the other products on the CD.

4] Once everything is installed, connect to the internet but before you start to surf the internet, open up the 5 programs above in b), c) and d), one at a time, and download and install any program and/or definitions updates. From now on, make sure you keep those definitions updated weekly.

5] Once the last anti-malware proram is installed and updated, now you can surf the internet for any updated drivers your system will need. Remember, Microsoft does not do updated drivers. The manufacturers of your individual components do and it is their web sites you will need to visit.

6] Set up a regime to scan the computer with the 5 anti-malware programs above, eg, anti-virus once a week, the rest, once or perhaps twice a month.

Good luck.

Mark

I would *assume* (makes an *** out of u & me) that the Norton is still installed, but rather than mess with it, why not go to www.infostar.com, make a small donation (Paypal
works!) to Peter Green for maintaining this super website, go to the "virus info page" and choose from all the free A-V programs there. I personally use and recommend Grisoft AVG & Bitware BitDefender. Some of the other popular ones are Panda & Avast.

Earthquake McGoon

I have just read all the other responses you got to your question. You have gotten about $1,000,000 worth of advice for free, and it is ALL good! I hope you use it!

Earthquake McGoon