Can't open mesasges MSN in messanger

Hi all
just been working on a PC person uses MSN messanger and can't open new/old/ e-mails no firewall on machine xp (sp1) Norton AV installed aaaanhhh !!!
installed SP2 and all other ms patches put firewall on ran spybot & adaware and stinger got rid of loads of rubbish.
person used kazza for music downloads " got rid of that "
no recent history of new programs/hardware put onto machine any had probs like this before
also
search button has been tamperd with when clicked it goes straight onto internet instead of offering searching computer for files/folders this im stuck on
anyone similar probs

 

Its not my machine, its someone i know
advised about using messanger and kazza
they can access e-mails on another pc i think i'll have to create a new account for them
never seen a search button do that though