help run out of ideas

[stimp]

Can someone help please I've tried everything I know which isn't much!
A friend has got major problems on her comp, its running with windows xp and i'm sure she has got a worm of some sort.
The real problem is that we can not get onto any help,support or more importantly this websites in order to scan her system to get rid of this damm thing. She thinks that it has come through her daughters MSN and it behaves the same as the one i got on my own system not long ago. I managed eventually to get onto this website and did the housecall scan which thankfully got rid of my worm(i am eternally grateful). As we can not get on any useful websites i don't know what to suggest to help her.
Is there anyone out there who has more knowledge(which wouldn't be difficult) than me who may be able to suggest something that will solve the problem
Waiting in hopeful anticipation!

[NHH]

Hi Stimp,

Here's one thing you can try if IE refuses to access web pages...

Click on Start, Run and in the white box type or copy & paste the following...
download.microsoft.com/download/ie6sp1/finrel/6_sp1/W98NT42KMeXP/EN-US/ie6setup.exe

...and click on OK

When you get the prompt to either open or run the file, select to open the file.
When downloaded the program will run, and will start the wizard to reinstall internet Explorer.
Go through the appropriate options until completion.
Internet Explorer should then be fixed.

If that doesnt work, you could always try downloading Mozilla Firefox and installing it. This will get you on the web as it is not affected by spyware/malware like IE.

Once done, download & install a spyware removal program such as Microsoft AntiSpyware, scan the PC with it and remove any malware still present on the system..

Good Luck

[stimp]

Thanks for the swift response. I'll try the first thing you suggest but if it doesn't work where can i download Mozilla Firefox from if i can't get on any "help or support" websites.

[stimp]

Sorry found the website when I click on the name.

[NHH]

Heh, of course...

Anything else you'll need is on Nethomehelp's Downloads page and they're all free.

[stimp]

I have tried what you suggested.managed eventually to download Firefox but it will not open this website(just shuts down like the explorer). Managed to get onto mircosoft website and tried to update but it just shutdown. Cant download anything at all. Every time I try to download anything that might help the browsers just go off. Any more ideas or does the machine need to taken in somewhere?
p.s. She appears to have been hijacked by "about blank" as well. As i cant scan with anything I'm at a loss as to what to do next.
p.p.s.
we are able to run ad-ware(normally finds about 20 problems-files, registry keys but no processes) but not spybot that unfortunately is the only security she has on her machine

[NHH]

Sounds like there are viruses at work on the PC.
The 'about:blank' malware that is there is also related to a couple of trojans.

Disable system restore and scan for viruses. Once you are virus free, Microsoft Antispyware usually does a good job in removing the remaining 'about:blank' malware.