Regarding question 4: What you did was to parallel install XP. Now you have two installations. You can remove the old installation but that involves some modification of the boot.ini file. If you
really want your boss to be happy I suggest that you start from scratch and reinstall XP. Read
carefully the instrutions in each step to avoid a third installation.
Question 1: You will find different opinions. There is no other subject that people like so much to express opinion. That's understandable, because I myself change my opinion every now and then. What I use (at the present) are: AVAST as an antivirus, Spyware Terminator as a real time antispyware protection, AVG antispyware for periodic scans.
Notes:
- Avast gives you a free licence for about a year. After that you have to renew the licence (free of charge)
- Spyware Terminator: I used to love this program but it fell out of favour because of some serious problems that evolved in some older versions. Nowadays I reinstalled it. It's paractically the only free tool that gives you real time antispyware protection. If you install it, do not install the antivirus option and do not install the Web Security Guard.
- AVG antispyware: when you install it disable the automatic updates and real time protection. They will become deactivated after 30 days anyhow, and you don't want it to interfere with Spyware Terminator.
- For a long time I used Spyware Search and Destroy. However, their last version is a big disappointment.
Question 2: Restore Points are created automatically. Many people, for the bad reasons, disable this option.
Question 4: Office Outlook and Outlook Express are two different creatures with almost similar, confusing, names. The data and address books are located in entirely different locations in Windows.
The address book of Outlook Express is in: documents and sttings > user account > application data > microsoft > address book. Save this folder.
The data folders of outlook express are in: documents and sttings > user account >local settings > application data > identities > {.............} > microsoft > outlook express. Save this folder.
Note: to see this folders go to My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > view. Check hidden files and folders, apply > Ok
Since you still have the old installation in place you can retrieve the mentioned folders, save it to a safe place and import into outlook express when you finished everything.