Friend stranded in need of help for error msg-"win32.shock.dll"-how to fix?!

[PC idiot]

Please can someone help! My friend is stranded 1500 miles from home, and has recieved an error message that prevents her opening windows explorer, or anything at all now. The error is "win32shock.dll", and neither she nor I knows what it means or how to fix it.
I am a computer idiot, but she makes me look like a pro! So what ever the explanation, or solution, it must be explained in complete laymans terms to actually be of any use.
Please can anyone assist us?!
Thanks for the ear everyone.

[alc6379]

This is in the wrong forum... What OS is this? Please let us know, and one of the mods will move this to the appropriate forum.

[PC idiot]

O/S- XP-home , what forum?

[PC idiot]

Better question-does anyone know where a person can go to find live online interactive help?

[Catweazle]

Moved to Windows XP section.


There's no free interactive realtime service that I know of, I'm afraid.

If that error message sates win32sock.dll then I strongly suspect it's a virus infection. The best advice would be to download Stinger http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger and burn it to CD or put it on floppy disk (with another computer of course)

Then boot your friends PC into 'Safe mode' (Press during startup, just before the Windows Logo screen displays, and choose Safe mode from the menu presented). Install and run Stinger from Safe mode and see if that helps.