I'n not going to talk you through the process of formatting and re-installing Windows, since other places already have it.

So, have a read through this, this and this article, to get a full understanding of how it all works.

Once the reinstall is complete, the most important thing is updating security patches etc, so update with Microsoft Update and install everything.

Then, download AVG Free like mentioned above, and you're good to go!

 

Right but shes saying that when her xp is already booted up she puts the OS cd in and trys to reinstall and it wont let her so maybe a bad cd unless used before?

 

If you want to reinstall the OS, you have to do so from outside the current OS. I don't think you can reinstall XP inside XP. You can upgrade from Windows 2000 to XP from inside 2000 but I'm not sure if its supported for the same OS, I've never actually tried. Change boot priority(in the BIOS) so CD/DVD is set to priority 1. Put the XP disk in the drive. Boot the computer, it will say press any key to enter installation. Press any key. Then you will see a screen that asks you what you want to do. Not sure of all the options off hand, but one is probably install OS, which is what you want. You will want to first delete the old partition and then create a new partition to install the OS on. Bear in mind that this will delete ALL data/programs on the hard drive. I'm not sure what kind of XP disk you have. If you have the OEM version, it will work and you just need to use the License Key on the sticker on your computer.

 

you need to install XP from the disk, you need to boot to the cd, format your drive and then install the OS. And the best Virus pro in my Opinion is Panada internet security. http://www.pandasecurity.com/usa/
but its not free, if your looking free i would say AVG, my boss hates it, but i have used it and for a free program it does its job.


as for the hard drive problem, it could be a number of things.

 

I've done all of this and I keep getting the blue screen part way through installation.

 

If you cant even get to windows install because of bad partitions, try using FDISK to delete all logical partitions, then remake them. You need a floppy with FDISK on it and of course, a floppy drive to do this. Just power on with thefloppy in the drive, and it shouldload right up. If not, just set the primary boot drive to the floppy and your set. It doesnt take long at all,I use it for every reinstall, even if its isnt necessary.

 

what does the blue screen say?

 

the blue screen says different things, sometimes it says there is no compatable drive, sometimes it says there may be a virus and its shutting down. I actually got it to work once but that was before I knew that you had to make a floppy to boot from so I couldn't continue becuase I got the no compatable drive thing again