Be careful...

[gmattson]

From a friend who knows about computers and the Internet:

Maybe you should warn people for eventual spyware or virus placed on the forum... They should scan their computer time to time.... AVG has a free version it is easy to download and a good one... http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus- ... 9_4-103201 42.htm

If you put a post on the computer forum don't forget to tell to change password time to time and for the safety at least a word of 10 character

[Icebladeraptor9]

If you put a post on the computer forum don't forget to tell to change password time to time and for the safety at least a word of 10 character

Add a few numbers and, if possible, special characters to further hinder password cracking.

[eric235u]

i wouldn't be overconcerned with the attack vector of posting on a forum. especially this one. your email is a more likely threat.

http://www.avast.com/
has a solid free for home use antivirus application also.

[tigereye]

If you got a virus you must run an antivirus software to remove the infection.If the computer is infected with a virus, then it is possible that the virus could be backed up by System Restore.
Windows XP creates backup copies of the system files so they can be restored if they get corrupted.
Backup files can get infected and copied to System Restore folder by Windows.
So windows XP users should turn off System Restore prior to using an anti-virus software.

How to turn off System Restore

1.Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2.Click the System Restore tab.
3.Click to select the Turn off System Restore check box and then click OK.
4.Click Yes when you receive the prompt to the turn off System Restore.
As noted in the message, this will delete all existing restore points. Click Yes to do this.

Run a full system scan.
If any files are detected as infected click Delete.

After that
turn on System Restore

1.Click Start, right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
2.Click the System Restore tab.
3.Click to clear the Turn off System Restore check box and then click OK.

Restart your computer.

[gmattson]

Very good advice and a tip that I wasn't aware of...

[eric235u]

this may interest some:
How antivirus software and System Restore work together
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/831829

i personally use fedora linux, so i don't really know anything about viruses.

for the average user i wouldn't be too worried about turning off system restore, because the average use knows nothing about computers. just make sure that anything you consider important (video of family, photos, business documents) are backed up to removeable media (cd, dvd-r, etc).