for a quite comparable example. I too have witnessed AdAware and SpyBot zip through a "search" in nanoseconds: so obvious that a Newbie spotted -- as bogus.

Nor is that disablement any longer mysterious to moi: when one contemplates Owning the APIs - such that the display seen from any file manager - elides the name/presence of the Nasty. Apparently after partial cleaning, the above tools then commence being of use, as you found.

I read some of her printed logs, all since erased, of the script being run by this Kiddie; Over a 12 min. period (she wasn't observing machine then), a complex sequence of groups, permissions created - then access to ways of neutralizing same: closed. Clearly there Has to be a template of equal automation, as can be applied to a naked out-of-box version. Still looking . . .

(In present case, an RR is not even an inconvenience, any more; she can do that half-asleep ;^> - fortunately she had no important 'data' to need meticulous recovery, though she lost some pictures. :(

She'd alredy obtained Ewido, along with AVG and above Necessaries already installed. Obvious that, it takes a whole village to keep any copy of XP limping along til the next 'sploit happens, trashes -- then await next cure announcement.. What a way to poison a planet.

As I mention to Scott, I'm approaching this stuff as Comedy.
(Else it would be a waste of emotions in wrathful Kill-Billy/Bally mode; 'taint worth the waste of endorphins.)

It's a POS. Everybody who knows anything Knows it is.
So I/we two 'here' will just have to suck it up: until she can - in time - arabesque into a dual-boot with Linux, so that her new hP notebook is good for Something.. useable. Too many $ wasted recently, to chuck it.

(Though I expect she'll be happy enough in future -- just using her new Powerbook for all but that ONE ap that needs both Billyware + The Web {sob}. Kinda waste of a new notebook...)

I'm in same boat re her 'old' hP, of course ... {sigh}
I'm forced to learn more bug-lore than I wanted to; 'good' by some perverse interpretation.
Billy, We Hardly Knew Ye afore we had ye drawn and quartered -
~~ JFK book title, for the newcomers to the Play.


Thanks - al punte links. Passed on already.

moi