Guest Shanny Posted September 18, 2007 Posted September 18, 2007 I have been cleaning an fellow employee's computer - it was loaded with spyware and viruses. I believe I have it clean but when I click on Start and Search - the box pops up but it is blank.- except for the little dog - I can't search for anything. There is nothing on the left hand side but the dog and on the main section of the box is blank as well. Up in the left hand corner it doesn't even say search or windows search it just has a file folder. Do I still have a virus - or did I delete an important file??? Please help.
Guest Malke Posted September 18, 2007 Posted September 18, 2007 Re: Can't Search within windows Shanny wrote: > I have been cleaning an fellow employee's computer - it was loaded with > spyware and viruses. > > I believe I have it clean but when I click on Start and Search - the box > pops up but it is blank.- except for the little dog - I can't search for > anything. There is nothing on the left hand side but the dog and on the main > section of the box is blank as well. Up in the left hand corner it doesn't > even say search or windows search it just has a file folder. > > Do I still have a virus - or did I delete an important file??? > > Please help. Since we can't see the computer or know what you deleted, we can't answer your question. Here are my general virus/malware removal steps below. If you didn't do that sort of preparatory work and scanning, then you can't be sure the computer is clean. If you did that level of scanning and you are really sure that the computer is virus/malware-free, you can try and reinstall Search. Or the unnamed viruses and/or malware may be damaged the operating system too badly to save. There is simply no way for us to know. If you are not skilled at what you are doing, perhaps you should take the fellow employee's computer to your IT Dept. or, if you don't have an IT Dept., a reputable local computer professional. This will not be a BigComputerStore/GeekSquad type of place. A. General malware removal: http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Removing_Malware Include scanning with David Lipman's Multi_AV and follow instructions to do all scans in Safe Mode. Please see the special Notes regarding using Multi_AV in Vista. http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Multi-AV - instructions http://pcdid.com/Multi_AV.htm - download You can also check to see if there are targeted removal steps for your malware here: Bleeping Computer removal how-to's - http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum55.html When all else fails, run HijackThis and post your log in one of the specialty forums listed at the first link above (not here, please). B. Reinstall Search: First try: Start>Run>cmd [enter] regsvr32 jscript.dll [enter] regsvr32 %Windir%\srchasst\srchui.dll [enter] If that doesn't work, reinstall by looking in the hidden Windows\inf folder for the srchasst.inf file, right-click and take Install. C. Other options: http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm - Repair Install How-To http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html - Clean Install How-To http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/page2.html#Reinstalling_Windows - What you will need on-hand Malke -- Elephant Boy Computers http://www.elephantboycomputers.com "Don't Panic!" MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Guest Elmo Posted September 18, 2007 Posted September 18, 2007 Re: Can't Search within windows Shanny wrote: > I have been cleaning an fellow employee's computer - it was loaded with > spyware and viruses. > > I believe I have it clean but when I click on Start and Search - the box > pops up but it is blank.- except for the little dog - I can't search for > anything. There is nothing on the left hand side but the dog and on the main > section of the box is blank as well. Up in the left hand corner it doesn't > even say search or windows search it just has a file folder. > > Do I still have a virus - or did I delete an important file??? > > Please help. Two things to try: Windows XP Search Problems http://www.dougknox.com/xp/tips/xp_search_probs.htm [Courtesy of MS-MVP Doug Knox] Click Start, Run, type SFC /SCANNOW, click OK. If any files are damaged or missing, they'll be replaced. You may need to reboot afterwards so damaged files will be replaced. -- Joe =o)
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