Desktop Hijacked.

[Ruselesseyes]

Hi.
I've been asked to look at my brother in laws PC, as I normally fix these, however this ones beyond me. Here's the story.

When you turn his PC on, you can't access DOS, safe mode, anything, the screen is just black until it comes to Windows is now loading up. He's the only user on the PC so it goes straight into windows...
As soon as this loads up a blue screen comes up with:
"Warning, Spyware detected on your computer" in a yellow box. then:
"Install an antivirus or spyware remover to clean your computer."
Written underneath.

He's running windows XP on quite an old system, and thinks he got htis from MSN

I can't access window's, so can't do any virus or spyware sweeps, a hijack this log or anything. Can't access DOS to go through this way.

I'm hoping there's another way other then a complete format, but can't see one.

Anyone have any ideas?

[Spoiler]

You can try to connect it as a slave drive on another machine and try to clean it with antivius software

[sihodge]

SOUNDS LIKE YOURE GOING TO HAVE TO PURCHASE A DISK VERSION OF A SPYWARE/VIRUS CLEANING PROGRAM AND CLEAN IT THAT WAY. IT SOUNDS LIKE A VIRUS AND REFORMATTING IS A SAFER WAY TO ENSURE IT IS GONE FOREVER GOOD LUCK

[stevejohnson1958]

Please turn your Caps Lock key off...

[Mastamind]

Sounds like "Antivirus 2008" this is a virus we have seen many times where I work.  If you can get  a copy of Super Anti-Spyware this works well to get rid of it.  It's a free scanner, but we usually keep it on a external drive.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Following up on Spoiler's suggestion, do you have another computer available?