i am reformatting and reinstalling xp on my computer due to a nasty virus whose remnants wont go away. when i start fresh the first thing i plan to install is avast 4.8 home, but ive heard on these boards that avast is not enough by itself- so my question to anyone willing to help is what programs (in order of installation) should i put on my computer to protect from anything and everything that is bad. i prefer the list contain free software (such as avast home) because i am at the very beginning of understanding Antivirus programs etc. also i think i would prefer the most popular/common/high quality programs as opposed to new or lesser known or non-researched ones. im basically looking for the general consensus of the best antivirus/worm/malware/rootkit/trojan- “full protection software bundles”. thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Malwarebytes Antimalware
You could also throw in SuperAntispyware, and possibly a firewall, if you’re not happy with Windows Firewall.
Actually, it isn’t a jab against Avast, I suggest MBAM and SAS no matter what AV you have, nothing is 100%.
Update to SP3.
Also you should enable Automatic Updates or at least be notified that Updates are available.
Go to Control Panel then Automatic Updates then select Automatic (recommended) or at least Notify me but don’t automatically download or install them.
Download and install:
User Profile Hive Cleanup Service:
Brief Description
A service to help with slow log off and unreconciled profile problems.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=1B286E6D-8912-4E18-B570-42470E2F3582&displaylang=en
Update to IE8:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/default.aspx
Download Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware (MBAM) then install it then update it and run a Quick scan once a day:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php
Go to Secunia Online Software Inspector then run it to see what other applications are vulnerable:
http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online
Good idea to save the programs you will want installed to a flash drive (or other external media) before re-installing Windows.
Service Pack 3 (large download) will certainly reduce the time taken to update Windows after it is installed. If you have SP1 (or 1+2) on your Windows disk, just apply the service pack after the OS is installed.
Definitely install Avast.
I would also install a two way firewall. The one I’m using seems pretty eay to use. PCTools (free version).
I agree with all the suggestions above. Some of them can probably be downloaded after you have Windows up and running, but at least the AV, firewall, and service pack should be installed first.
It is possible the Windows installer version that comes with your Windows disk is out of date, and you may have to get a new one online first, before you can install other Windows updates.
avast! 4.8 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/
Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware Free
http://malwarebytes.org/
SUPERAntiSpyware Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/
a-squared Free
http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/
and optional
Ad-Aware Anniversary Edition (free)
http://www.lavasoft.com/
SpyBot S - D (this is an okay program but not even close to performence as the ones i wrote above, tough if you decide to use it, disable it’s TeaTimer (firewall) since it uses 45-65% of you’re computers processor.
http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html
I’m using all i wrote above and my computer is free of any malicious appliactions.
Welcome to the forums, Hangman. 
Spybot’s Teatimer is not a firewall.
It protects a computer’s registry from unauthorized changes as well as detecting known malicious processes.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/faq/33.html
Click the image below to see that Teatimer should not be using 45 - 65% of a computer’s processor.
As you can see, there are 47 processes running at this time on my computer and there is only 4% CPU usage. None of that 4% is being used by Teatimer. (00% CPU usage)
Low memory for the amount of processes running will cause higher CPU usage.
Perhaps you need more memory?
Thank you.
I know it’s not a firewall but i was trying to express this as simple as possible 
And as for how it goes with resources i had issues with it when permanent registry monitoring was on (TeaTimer) and after i disabled it my computer worked fine, tested this on my computer, a laptop and 3 other PCs lower at SPECS then mine and another, one a bit better then mine, it was the same for thoes as well…
Perhaps the 40-65% CPU usage was a bit too high, but stil it uses alot more resources then the other AVs and Anti-Malware programs i wrote above.