knowha wrote:
> I have a friend who hasn't kept up on his maintenance and as a
> result, got some viruses and Trojans. We managed to clean these
> infections off, but now when he goes to Microsoft Update and is
> prompted to install Windows XP Service Pack 3, he is told to
> disable his virus protection before installing. I told him this
> sounds fishy and to hold off on installing it until I talk to you
> guys. So, the million dollar question is, does he disable his
> protection, or is he still infected with something??
> Please help, he needs this computer to reliably operate for his
> employment. Thank you in advance for any and all suggestions.
Disabling the AV and disconnecting from the Internet is two of the things I
recommend during service pack installs on possibly troubled machines...
I would suggest following the advice I am about to give in order and no
matter what you think you have done in the past in terms of cleanup/etc.
This path - if followed as given - is pretty likely to get SP3 installed...
First - before anything else - answer this:
Do you have an HP branded computer with an AMD processor?
(If so - answer and wait. If not, answer and continue witht he steps.)
Fix your file/registry permissions...
Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you'll install SP3 shortly, but not now.)
Reboot and ...
Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301
After installing, do the following:
Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)
Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):
SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/
MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/
After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.
Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
Reboot.
Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en
Reboot.
and...
Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:
Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.
Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.
(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...
Reboot.
Then follow the instructions here:
How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
Reboot.
Now for SP3...
1) Download the full SP3 installation file.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for
IT Professionals and Developers (works just as well for you.)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...8-1E1555D4F3D4
You are just saving it right now - not running it yet.
2) Ensure (as well as plausible) you have no spyware/malware by doing a full
scan with SuperAntiSpyware and MalwareBytes. If you are following
along, you have already done this!
3) CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time
4) Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time
5) Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.) Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.
6) Reboot right before you try to install SP3.
7) Disconnect from the internet before installing (physically disconnect -
pull the network cable or disable the router/modem.)
8) Disable your antivirus and antispyware applications when you are about to
install SP3. Usually right-click on the icon in the taskbar gives you
a choice to do so.
Install SP3 by running the downloaded executable. Reboot when requested to
do so. Logon and let the machine 'settle' for about 10 minutes. Reboot.
Give it 5 minutes after logon to 'settle' - reboot.
After that - there will be more updates.
Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...
Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.
Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.
Reboot again.
If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time. Rebooting as needed.
The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to install
Internet Explorer 8 at this time.
Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.
Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.
--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
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