Windows update is blank, no IE info in "about box"

[Guest]

I have a box running XP w/IE 6. When I open windows update I get a blank page with done in the bottom left corner. Refresh it and says downloading but is blank. When I go Help>about Interent Explorer, the version, cipher and id are blank. The OK button will not close the window only the red X in top right corner. Have downloaded and installed latest IE, dumped cookies, cach, and history. Deleted the folder with all the IE cabs in and the file that says "it is safe to delete this....". Maybe relate or not, when i run start>search, the box where the search for files, folders, computers and the helper is is blank except for the helper and it's comment baloon is flat. I have run AV checks, spyware check, run regsvr URLmon.dll and others things. Any ideas?

 

[PA Bear]

Check your system for "hijackware" (the proper & thorough way):

Dealing with Hijackware
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm#tshoot
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.merijn.org/cwschronicles.html

You *must* seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each and every
use, even "right out of the box". But even then, they can't catch
everything. When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://www.merijn.org/files/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to use.
It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware. **Post
your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or the Spyware forum at
http://forum.aumha.org/ for expert analysis, not here.**

Also update your virus definitions and then run a full system scan. From
now on, do both daily.

[Many anti-spyware sites continue to suffer from a week-long DoS attack.
Alternative download pages for Ad-Aware, Spybot, HijackThis and CWShredder
may be found on this page: http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.]

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957
--
HTH - Please Reply to This Thread

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP

AumHa Forums
http://forum.mvps.org/

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect