Spyware and Viruses: BEGONE!

So lately, my laptop's been behaving rather weirdly...  IE 8 won't open websites and instead would prompt me to download the web page instead; I couldn't open the User Accounts in Control Panel; I couldn't access System Restore and Help and Support; I couldn't access any help file at all since I kept getting prompts that my computer's security settings didn't allow the file to be downloaded.  I was at my wit's end, and I was on the verge of just wiping everything and reinstalling Windows.  Luckily, I decided against that and did these instead:

• Using Revo Uninstaller, I uninstalled all software I wasn't using anymore.
• Downloaded Malwarebytes and ran it - this cleared up some spyware that even Ad-Aware and Avast couldn't get rid of.
• Whipped out my trusty Windows XP sp2 installer disc and "upgraded" my OS. - This was the money ticket!
• Installed PC Tools Firewall to take care of the rest.

So now my system's back to normal!  Unfortunately, I have to reinstall all Windows updates again :(.  Well, I'd gladly pay that price :).  Maybe this time I'll update to sp3 and hope for the best.

Till next,

jon