Should I install Windows XP Service Pack 3?

General Discussion (off topic) Anything and everyt
#1

So I am currently running on Windows XP sp2. I think I still have some viruses on my computer, and I feel if I upgrade I’ll stop them from running on the new update. Only problem is backing up. I don’t know if I can since this computer is lacking a floppy disk drive. (I bought this laptop at a pawnshop and it’s floppy disk was removed and replaced with a black cover. The computer came with no installation disks. Is there a safe way to do this without possibly not having a way to get this computer up and running again? This is my only laptop at the moment, since I have moved to another city. I already have Comodo firewall, antivirus, and defense +, Spybot S&D, Hijack this, Rootkit hook analyzer installed on my computer. Should I go with installling XP Service Pack 3, will the update make Comodo stop working?

#2

Hello. I’m not sure, But this may work (Ihaen’t used it)
http://www.mvps.org/marksxp/WindowsXP/prodkey.php
^ Please let me know how it goes!

If your Pc is quite old, You should consider reformatting it and “Start a-fresh”
If you think that your infected, Please look here;
https://forums.comodo.com/empty-t41380.0.html

I hope this helps.

#3

thanks for the reply. The first link I dont need, since I just realized this computer has the windows xp intallation key in a sticker at the bottom of the laptop. But reformating sounds like it can be hard. What should I do? I mean, I have this Compaq Presario 2100 used laptop. The guy at the pawn shop told me everything for a reinstallation could be found in the harddrive. I just dont know if that’s true for this model. And I followed the second link, and it says there is Comodo Backup, which I didn’t know existed. Is it good? How does it work?

#4

I would definitely recommend installing SP3, but not until you have removed any malware that may be present. I would suggest getting Malwarebytes anti-malware and running a full scan with it with Comodo still set to on access. This will cause each file to be scanned by both scanners. If nothing is found, you can be 99.9% certain you are clean.

#5

Yes you should go with installing SP3.
Uninstall CIS before you update to SP3.
But clean install(SP3) is better than the update.

#6

IMO he should format his machine… It sounds like it hasn’t been done for awhile and that it has come from an unknown owner. Who knows what was left behind…

#7

Yes. I agree with you.
That’s why I’ve replied in his another post.

“But clean install(SP3) is better than the update.”
it means format and install. ;D

https://forums.comodo.com/general_discussion_off_topic_anything_and_everything/virus_false_positive_firewall_problems-t45325.0.html

#8

So it sounds like I gotta install marlware bite software, scan computer with Comodo still on, and then if nothing is found, install SP3.

And the better option is to reformat the whole thing from scratch, which will 100% effectively kill all old files and viruses.
(I say 100% cautiously though, because with new ways to hack into a computer, who knows if a virus is capable of surviving a reformat.)

–I rather go with the first option, only cause I don’t know how to do a fresh install of Windows XP with the software and all the stuff supposedly all stored in the hard drive(as I was told by the pawn shop owner).
I still question its effectiveness in completely removing all viruses, wouldn’t a hacker good enough know how to corrupt the operating system file supposedly stored on this computer, and make it install his version of a corrputed Windows XP SP2?

#9

With regard to reinstalling Windows. Your laptop probaly has a (hidden) partition which holds a copy of Windows as it was installed in the factory. This way you can clean install Windows.

Usually you need some type of recovery CD from Compaq. Ask the guy from the shop or contact the Compaq help desk and explain you bought the laptop second hand without the recovery CD and that you need it.

And yes I think you should upgrade to SP3. Support for SP2 has stopped or will stop any time
soon, so you won’t get anymore security updates. When you can’t or don’t want to try the clean install make sure you let a bunch of reputable scanners check your system. Then clean your registry with a thorough cleaner like Regvac or Comodo System Cleaner.

I see no need to disable CIS when installing the SP 3 update. Just set it to Updater/Installer when you get a pop up. I have installed SP 2 on Vista like this. I started the installation from Windows 7 beta, Windows 7 RC and Windows 7 RTM from within Vista like this.