What advice can anyone give me about these computer issues??? Please read!!!!?

I have had to completely reinstall my operating system due to a virus...ugh. But I am pretty much updating every application and driver, however my hp pavilion dv4150us notebook (xp pro sp2)seems to have alot of tasks running in the task manager and folders/files that I don't know if I need? Maybe malware/spyware/virus? I have ran my norton antivirus numerous times, but nothing...Does anyone know of a good helpful free website (not microsoft) where I can find out what these files and drivers are for so I can delete the unnessary ones? Also if i have norton systemworks premier installed on my computer should I continue to have Windows Firewall on? Oh and What does microsoft.net framework do? Do I need this? And what does the group policy setting "NT Authority" for?

What advice can anyone give me about these computer issues??? Please read!!!!?internet security

First, my condolences about your reinstall. There are some people around here to whom reinstalling seems to be something they do often and without a second thought. I had to last September, and I also went through the reinstallation of all my other software. It took months before everything was back in order.

The general good advice about deleting things that don't seem to be doing anything worthwhile is a loud DON'T TOUCH THEM!

There is no absolute list of what's necessary because computers are so complicated. What might be useless on your machine could be critical on your wife's. We could draw up a list of things that are essential to every Windows XP machine, but it would soon bleed over into the "well, maybe" area.