Thank you for the update.
To recap, I have run SmitRem, Ewido scan and have removed a number of wellknown registry hacks using HijackThis. Despite this, I am still very much lumbered with mssearchnet.exe, and I cannot boot into Safe Mode. Safe Mode gets as far as saying "Windows Is Loading" and then resets the machine instantly.
This is my latest log file:
Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 09:59:36, on 23/12/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\BT Yahoo! Internet\ModemLock.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\sdhelp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlus.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\BT Yahoo! Internet\Watchdog.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\BT Yahoo! Internet\DialBTYahoo.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\mssearchnet.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Desktop\HijackThis.exe
O2 - BHO: HomepageBHO - {e0103cd4-d1ce-411a-b75b-4fec072867f4} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\hp7BF3.tmp
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlus.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BTopenworld] "c:\program files\bt yahoo! internet\DialBTYahoo.exe" /ReInstallAutoDial
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AdaptecDirectCD] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 5\DirectCD\DirectCD.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Translate English Word - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmwordtrans.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate Page into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: Spyware Doctor - {2D663D1A-8670-49D9-A1A5-4C56B4E14E84} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYWAR~1\tools\iesdpb.dll
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {2917297F-F02B-4B9D-81DF-494B6333150B} (Minesweeper Flags Class) -
http://messenger.zon...er.cab31267.cabO16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) -
http://messenger.zon...nt.cab31267.cabO16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) -
http://acs.pandasoft...free/asinst.cabO17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{309C9B69-0D96-42CE-9784-F8552DE8685D}: NameServer = 213.1.119.97 213.1.119.98
O23 - Service: BT Modem Lock - British Telecommunications plc - C:\Program Files\BT Yahoo! Internet\ModemLock.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite control - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Driver Helper Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Spyware Doctor (SDhelper) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\sdhelp.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
Thanks for any help. I will be away for a few days over Christmas so I will go quiet for a bit, but I will be back to let you know what's happened in January.