Antispyware Beta program NIGHTMARE!

I found this Antispyware Beta program yesterday and
downloadad to my laptop, ran the program through its
recomendations, and after carefuly reading all the
instructions I figured this is a Microsoft program, how
could this harm my computer. Well after the scan, it
found about 43 items, most for deletion, a couple for
quarintine. So I went through the steps then rebooted, I
lost my task bar at the bottom, had a fatal system error
101, and it commanded shut down by NT Authority\system, a
box pops up for a one minute countdown then restarts,
over and over. I have tried to start in safe mode, same
issue. I contacted Microsoft support, waiting for a reply
now. Can ANYBODY help me with this problem? - O'Neill

Sometimes Beta programs create a need to format
one's hard drive and do a clean install of Windows.
Pat Walters explained how to do that in WUnews.

"O'Neill" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:09ef01c4f53e$a56825a0$a501280a@phx.gbl...
> I found this Antispyware Beta program yesterday and
> downloaded to my laptop, ran the program through its
> recommendations, and after carefully reading all the
> instructions I figured this is a Microsoft program, how
> could this harm my computer. Well after the scan, it
> found about 43 items, most for deletion, a couple for
> quarantine. So I went through the steps then rebooted, I
> lost my task bar at the bottom, had a fatal system error
> 101, and it commanded shut down by NT Authority\system, a
> box pops up for a one minute countdown then restarts,
> over and over. I have tried to start in safe mode, same
> issue. I contacted Microsoft support, waiting for a reply
> now. Can ANYBODY help me with this problem? - O'Neill
>
> "Pat Walters [MSFT]" <a-patwal@online.microsoft.com> wrote in
> message news:41df38b5$1@news.microsoft.com...
<snip>
> You have all of the software (including drivers), the product
> keys, the high-speed connection, and a way to backup the hard
> drive: WARNING - You will be formatting the hard drive in this
> option, and losing all data that you did not backup.
>
> 1. Backup all of your data by burning it on CD or copying it
> to another computer or hard drive that will not be
> formatted.
>
> 2. Put in the Windows XP Home Operating System CD ( make sure
> this is not Windows XP Plus)
>
> 3. Restart the machine
>
> 4. Press a key when it says "Press Any Key to boot from
> CD..."
>
> 5. Format the drive and create a partition
>
> 6. Follow the prompts to create a new installation of the OS.
>
> 7. Once the OS installation is complete, DO NOT yet connect
> to the Internet.
>
> 8. Now install any Windows XP Service Packs you have on CD (I
> suggest you order this from the website if you do not have
> it.)
>
> 8. Install the Applications that were on the machine before.
>
> 9. Now retrieve the data that you saved in step 1, and put it
> in the appropriate folders on the new partition.
>
> 10. Now set up your Internet Connection.
>
> 11. Visit Windows Update, and download EVERY critical update.
>
> 12. Repeat step 11 and rebooting as required until complete.
<snip>

>-----Original Message-----
>I found this Antispyware Beta program yesterday and
>downloadad to my laptop, ran the program through its
>recomendations, and after carefuly reading all the
>instructions I figured this is a Microsoft program, how
>could this harm my computer. Well after the scan, it
>found about 43 items, most for deletion, a couple for
>quarintine. So I went through the steps then rebooted, I
>lost my task bar at the bottom, had a fatal system error
>101, and it commanded shut down by NT Authority\system, a
>box pops up for a one minute countdown then restarts,
>over and over. I have tried to start in safe mode, same
>issue. I contacted Microsoft support, waiting for a reply
>now. Can ANYBODY help me with this problem? - O'Neill
>
>.You have the blaster virus a fix can be downloaden from
Symantec. No need to reformat your hard disk!
>