hi, i bought my comp second hand and never had windows
folder with cd and product key...(obviously i can access
product key in control panel)

i been having major problems with trojans and discovered
that i am now missing a few windows components(which is
keeping me at high risk for constant trojan attack and
regular crashing). i can't run any of my scanners
anymore, having to search out viruses manually for a week
and a half now because everything just crashes constantly-
especially if anti virus or spyware scanners are
running... there are also data logs which i can't open or
delete-but they are from the former owner's isp and are
not essential to the running of the machine.

i have been advised that i should back up my work and
wipe the disk to reformat it... but i wasn't even aware
that i should have the windows folder, with product key
and windows install cd until half an hour ago. i presume
i can buy a manual and the install cd from any decent
computer shop? or do i have to get in contact with compaq?

(also, why is there not a net police to dismember virus
makers?! hahaha i am soo frustrated with the trouble i
have had since last month when a perfiler trojan started
all the troubles i have had, being not an expert i have
loaded dlls that i never initiated and now wonder if the
mother site has been remotely removing my components...
because i was running fine for the 5 or 6 months prior to
this all happening.)

thanx for your time.

To confirm the Windows Installation CD Product Key, you will not have anyhting available via Control Panel that can assist. You can get this information of you use Magical Jelly Bean Key finder

www.magicaljellybean.co

Call Compaq and advise them your Product Key and they may be adble to send you a Recovery CD set, Thgis amy cost a few dollars, but less than a full retail version of XP

If not, then check your version of XP: was it an early installation or one with SP1 included. Then ask a friend to borrow their installation CD and use your key

If you do this, then make sure that you also copy across to your Hard Drive the folder I386 after Windows is running. This contains all the installation information should you need to reinstall Windows again, then open that folder and if in Windows run WINNT32.EXE or if in DOS then run WINNT.EXE