[Mark W]

well, as of lastnight, this was the fix we were giving out last night.... version 5 i think

Ntl:home customers may currently be experiencing problems with their PC arising from a Microsoft Windows vulnerability. The virus/worm in question which exploits this vulnerability is called W32.Blaster.Worm and it will affect Windows XP (all versions), Windows 2000 and Windows NT.

In order to prevent your machine from repeatedly rebooting please carry out the following:

1. (Broadband customers only) Unscrew CATV (Co-axial) cable at the rear of the cable modem or set-top box †“ this is normally a thick white cable (not required for dial-up)
2. Re-start PC.
3. †œOpen Task Managerââ‚à ‚¬Ã‚ÂÂ� by holding down the CTRL and ALT keys and press the Delete key once.
4. Click on Process tab, and find Msblast.exe.
5. Highlight the file and click 'end process' at the bottom right
6. Say 'Yes' to the warning.
7. Now close Task Manager (by the cross in the top right)
8. Click on †œstart⠀ Â� and choose †œFindâà ƒÆ’¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚ � or †œSearchà¢ÃƒÆ’¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Âà ‚Â� then choose files or folders.
9. In the †œlook inââ‚ ¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ� box choose †œMy Computerââ‚à ƒâ€šÃ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ�
10. In the †œnamed⠀ Â� box type msblast.exe then click on †œfind nowââ‚Âà ‚¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ÂÂ� or †œsearchà¢ÃƒÆ’¢â€šÂ¬Ã‚Âà ‚Â�
11. If any items are found right click on these and choose delete.
12. If using Windows XP enable the in built firewall (see below)
13. (Broadband customers only) Screw the CATV cable back into the modem or set-top box, (not required for dial-up)
14. (Broadband customers only) Re-start Cable Modem or Set-Top Box, (not required for dial-up)
15. Re-start PC
16. Download the Microsoft Patch (from the link below) choosing †œsave this program to diskâ₠¬Ã‚Â�
17. In the †œsave asâ₠¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â� window choose †œdesktopà¢ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚¬Ã‚ Â� from the dropdown †œsave inâ₠¬Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â� box
18. Open the file from your desktop and follow the on-screen instructions.
19. Restart your machine when requested to do so by the patch.

Microsoft Download Links

Windows XP (all versions)

Windows 2000

Windows NT

You should now find that your PC and connection are restored to a working state.

Enable the in built firewall in XP windows

1. In Control Panel, double-click Networking and Internet Connections, and then click Network Connections.
2. Right-click the connection on which you would like to enable ICF, and then click Properties.
3. On the Advanced tab, click the box to select the option to Protect my computer or network.
4. If you want to enable the use of some applications and services through the firewall, you need to enable them by clicking the Settings button, and then selecting the programs, protocols, and services to be enabled for the ICF configuration.

If you are not using Windows XP you may wish to visit
http://www.ntlworld.com/zonealarm/ to obtain advise on another firewall option.


For further information on this issue please see:

Ntl:home Server Status Page
or

Microsoft Knowledge Base

If you continue to experience problems of the same nature, please call the Technical Support Bureau on your relevant support number.