I reinstalled Vista. I thought I disconnected my network wire from my cable
modem before I started the reinstall. The first thing I did when I could
get Vista running was setup a standard user account and finished the
reinstall and updates in that and not in admin account. I downloaded SP1 &
SP2 files before reinstall so I did not have to download it during reinstall
but just double click to update to SP1-2. The constant clicking of
permission buttons was not too annoying. I had to switch to admin account a
couple of times for about ten minutes each and immediately switched back.

I then installed Avast antivirus. Now that my computer is now safe to do
final updates, I went to connect to the internet. I discovered that my
computer was connected to the internet the whole time. For about ten hours
I was protected only with Windows Defender and Windows Firewall each with
default settings in progressing levels of update using a standard user
account (assuming standard user account is safer). I did click on some help
links (two times only) that brought me to a microsoft.com help page. (I
thought the web page was contained in vista or the SP1-2 update, stupid me).

I listened to a tech report on the radio a 3 or 4 years ago that told of an
experiment to see how long it would take a completely (pre vista era)
unprotected idle computer on a high speed internet connection to be infected
with something. The average time it took to infect a computer was four
minutes. That alarmed me so that report stayed with me. I really do not
know much about the process of how infections happen. In reference to this
radio report and that my computer was only partially protected for ten
hours, what are the chances my computer is infected with something? My
computer seems to be working normal. I detect nothing the least bit
unusual.

Background info: Desktop AMD 4400+ 64X2 4GB memory 320GB HD Acer
(AM3100-U3201A) purchased new February 2008 -- 32-bit MS Vista Home Premium
SP2 -- MS auto updates on. Comcast ISP 12mbps service W\ Motorola SURFboard
SB5101 Cable Modem direct to computer. No other switches or routers or
wireless or phone line or any other networking hardware hooked up to this
computer.

Thanks for the help
Bob