extremely slow reboot

cf. http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/unable-to-install-windows-updates-error-error/4323e99b-f524-47ea-ba1f-d263fbdd3cc6

Stay away from downloads.com . Always go to the actual website. For instance:

http://www.soluto.com/Download

http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

http://www.superantispyware.com/

After you download the installation file, scan it. Feel free to use these online multi-scanner sites for peace of mind:

http://www.virustotal.com/

http://virusscan.jotti.org/en

On my computer I have only one antivirus program.  It is McAfee antivirus plus.  I have not renewed the subscription and it currently runs with old updates.  With the slow reboot I turned the antivirus off on reboot.  It may run in some mode despite what I have done manually by un checking all boxes in msconfig including all those related to Mcafee.

In another thread on this site it was recommend that I check for malware using

malwarebytes

microsoft malicious removal kit

Kapersky

superantispyware

When I viewed superantispyware on www.downloads.com a user wrote that they got a trojan with the download and was not able to remove it with norton.  So I did not download this software

I did check for malware with malwarebytes.  The nearly 8 hour scan in full mode found no malware

I ran the download for kapersky anvirus and it found no malware

I ran the microsoft malicious software removal an it found no malware

In the past I had regularly used PCpitstop PCmatic which scanned for malware but have not used it recently

So with all of the malware checks at this moment reporting no malware I have some confidence with the multiple scans from different sources that scan with different definitions

With regards to competing software or conflicts I have no idea if this is happening

I would like to download and install the software programs such as the one you recommended and was warned not to download from company web sites and to use a trusted web site that screens downloads.  So I have limited my downloads to www.downloads.com.  Occassionally I will go to two cows but this software was not listed there.  On a google search I found downloads available on other sites such as snapfiles and softpedia but i do not know if they have checked the downloads for malware as is done on downloads.com

What is the next step?

I downloaded the microsoft safety scanner.  It indicates that it expires every 10 days.  The version that I just used was 1.0.3001.0 and ran it in quick mode.  It just completed successfully and no viruses, spyware, and potentially unwanted software were detected

Again, msconfig is a diagnostic tool. You really should not be in "manual" mode when you are finished your troubleshooting! For best results, it should be returned to its normal setting. The trick is to run programs that are not resource and/or memory hogs. :-) This includes programs like Norton, McAfee, and AOL.

Re indexing, select the subfolders choice. Indexing is simply not needed, so don't use it. It should give you some performance boost.

All AV programs have settings (or preferences) you should be able to adjust, including when downloads and scans occur. One thing you can do is keep your PC on overnight once a week and program the settings to download and insatll updates and scan while you are asleep.

The best way to permanently uninstall unneeded toolbars is to use Add or Remove Programs.

And again, if you have Windows Search 4.0 installed, you should really uninstall it. Again, use Add or Remove Programs (look for KB940157). The "Show updates" box will need to be checked first.

[snipped]

How do i get this program and not get malware?

directly from the soluto site...   skip downloads.com, which apparently has some sort of issue.