If you have XP "out of box" and put it on the Internet without further ado, chances are 1 in 1 that you have one of the RPC server exploits. This would show up as icons that don't fire, reboots, flaky cut-paste behavior etc. etc.
Especially when one recalls [link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=127308|this] thread and the like. ACagle should probably read through the posts in this [link|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/board/search/?field_searchUser=22&field_searchSubject=&field_searchContent=rpc&field_searchSignature=&field_searchForum=-1&field_boardid=1&submit_ok%3Amethod=Search|search].
I came across a couple of Win98SE machines at work that were horribly infected with viruses. They were crashy, useless boxes until they were disinfected.
Windows XP is a wonderfully reliable and stable application
And then you connect it to the internet.
Somebody forgot to add "secure" to the above list during the design phase. I have a security briefing powerpoint somewhere at work which contains the slide "Windows =" + graphic of swiss cheese.
"I'll stop calling the current administration 'Orwellian' when they stop using "1984" as a playbook."