It always amazes me how many Unix people do not know about the command: apropos. It’s fabulous! Using apropos has allowed me learn many things about unix and linux that I would not have discovered otherwise. You can spend a lot of time with it, and learn heaps.
Overcoming the malware, XP Internet Security without special software. Lots of analysis. Lots of Thinking. Knowing what cygwin, and windows commands can do. Playing trial and error with your mouse isn’t going to cut it; in fact, it might make things worse.