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I use 7-Zip very rarely, only for 7z archives. But maybe i will update, eventually.

Yes, every time you try to open file, that has no application associated with it, you get an invalid ...\Explorer\FileExts\? entry. For example, ...\Explorer\FileExts\.nfo. If you set .nfo file to open i.e. with Notepad, you won't get invalid .nfo entry anymore, when you open .nfo file.

You can change a letter or two from the real password. I did so. I don't think that makes any difference. For example, if your real PW is pass1234, you can type pess1235. You get the basic idea, what ever your PW is strong or weak. Also, this is what they say on the Microsoft checker: Password Checker does not collect, store, or transmit information beyond the computer that you use to access Password Checker. The image works on your computer desktop until you navigate away from the page. The security of the passwords entered into Password Checker is similar to the security of the password you enter when you log into Windows. The password is checked and validated on your computer, but is not sent over the Internet.

Why use OE, when there's a better (and safer) alternative available: http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/products/thunderbird/

HKCU\Software\Micorosoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\OpenWithList is created, when you double click a file, that has no any file extension on it (i.e. HOSTS file) and has not registered to open with any application.

I use AutoRuns also. It's a great utility, but you have to be careful with it.

I have disabled automatic updating. It's not a big deal to turn the service on, go to Microsoft Update and install available updates. Especially when you need to install updates only once a month. Running update service between the monthly updates seems to be unnecessary and waste of resources.

Yes, i don't think they have utilities that requires installation. Like you mentioned, they are either Command Prompt utilities or "extract and run" ones.

Why you have blocked my Opera promotion ad from my signature area?

Use slim skin.

The Sysinternals web site was created in 1996 by Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell to host their advanced system utilities and technical information. Microsoft acquired Sysinternals in July, 2006. Whether you’re an IT Pro or a developer, you’ll find Sysinternals utilities to help you manage, troubleshoot and diagnose your Windows systems and applications. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/default.mspx Many, many nice utilities...

http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/...rd/checker.mspx https://amethyst2.cit.cornell.edu/cuwl-cgi/...passCheck1.cgi/ This one is for paranoids, since it's a TLS protected page.

List of changes: -fixed a vulnerability in TAR unpacker (special thanks to "Sowhat" of Nevis Labs) -improvements in various unpackers (winexec, installer, CAB, NTFS Streams) -boot-time scanner now functional even with USB keyboards -speed improvements in the Outlook plugin (Windows XP+) -Web Shield: compatibility improvements -Internet Mail provider: improvements on Windows Vista -CAB unpacker now working in boot-time scan -RAR unpacker modified so that it is now more tolerant to certain corrupted archives (issue reported by Thierry Zoller of n.runs AG) -Professional Edition: scheduled scan progress icon now accessible even in Windows Vista -Windows 9x/ME: fix in the Mail Protection Wizard (related to Mozilla Thunderbird accounts) -fixed a bug in the scan area selection dialog in Windows NT/2000 -optimizations in the updater -removed mail heuristics false alarm (related to TNEF attachments)

Here's the entries that are found as invalid (after installing latest Flash player): "Avain" means "Key". Correction to my earlier message: FlashProp.FlashProp entry is not found as invalid, ONLY FlashProp.FlashProp.1. edit: Well i think those really are invalid, since there no reference in registry to CLSID value "{1171A62F-05D2-11D1-83FC-00A0C9089C5A}".

Here's an online malware scanner: http://virusscan.jotti.org/ Virus definitions are updated every hour. There is a 10Mb limit per file.

Exactly. Anyway, that program seems to need a lot of .dll & .exe files...

Yes.

NOTIFICATION: After installing this latest flash player, some registry cleaners found FlashProp.FlashProp and FlashProp.FlashProp.1 entries as invalid. I'm really not sure that are they, so i haven't yet removed them. Bit strange that thorough scanner like RegSeeker don't found them as invalid. CCleaner found entry FlashProp.FlashProp.1 as invalid. It would be nice to know, that are those entries really invalid and safe to remove...

http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/do...=ShockwaveFlash This is a big update: http://www.adobe.com/support/documentation...tml#fixes_90115 It i.e. includes H.264 video support.

Is HIPS protection necessary?

Also recommened to scan with BlackLight – Rootkit Detection and Elimination Tool. It search for hidden processes, files and folders. Just scanned with it yesterday and it found 0 items. http://www.f-secure.com/security_center/ (at the bottom of the page) It's a single file - no installation. For first scan seems to be rather slow, but it's actually quite fast.

Don't really know, but it could just be an update checker or something like that.

When i got this current XP machine, i installed ZA, since it worked fine on earlier 98SE machine. On XP i had some (connection related) problems with it, so i decided to give Sygate a try. I have used Sygate since then.

Yes, system drivers can cause unexpected problems, since they are loaded to memory, when Windows is booted up. Also never ever have 2 or more software/hardware FW's on your system. Only one.

Sorry, but i don't see much of a point in recommeding commercial (paid) software, unless it's very good and really something to got. Internet is full of paid software, but not so full of great freeware software. Don't wanna be an a**hole, that's just my opinion.