I am helping a friend with his laptop. He thought adaware was antivirus. His system has 18 viruses. He cannot connect to the internet for downloads. I have a home network. How do I help clear this mess up without it taking my life away! He does have a win xp legal version #, with no CD. Maybe I am best to create a boot cd and clean it totally?
Thanks in advance. Also, could any of this spread to my network, I use norton religiously.

We cannot help with malware in this section. Please read this & repost here.

Maybe I am best to create a boot cd and clean it totally?

If he doesn't have any important data there....
Otherwise...
Please, read HERE, and start new topic HERE.

could any of this spread to my network

If no file sharing is enabled, it's unlikely.

Thanks for the suggestions... one problem tho: if he can't connect to the internet, how can he download more software?

Can the computer not connect or does he not have access to in the internet? If it isn't connecting you can try safe mode with networking.

Use good computer to download programs, and use USB stick to move them to bad computer.

Scan the USB drive before trusting it in a good computer.

help!!!
I put the spyware doctor on usb, installed it on bad system and have 4 security warnings all trying to scan. In safe mode I uninstalled 2 anti spy things that I never installed and it keeps recreating itself. Also a advanced virus remover is doing the same. Right now the system is rebooting all by itself!
It will not connect to www and win xp showed a long run at a boot up of "recovering orphaned files".
Isn't there a chatroom to talk instead of waiting for a post?
Thanks... and the re boot is now running "advanced Virus Remover"! so far 9 infections.
Am I going to have to buy him Norton to fix this?

Originally Posted by townsbg

We cannot help with malware in this section. Please read this & repost here.