Friend rung me today.
She has a set top box which stopped working and saying
BEING INITIALISED.
I dont have a set top box,so I was wondering if anyone here could help.

Not enough information to go on.

There are hundreds of different makes and models of set top boxes. Not to mention whether it's Freeview, Sky, Freesat or Virgin Media.

Without knowing a make and model it is impossible to say what is going on or what might be done to fix it.

Thanks for the reply.
She is taking it back tomorrow.

Stupid me.Just noticed I said set top box.
Its a freeview box

Would still need to know exactly which one as there are hundreds of them.

When I encounter threads like this I am reminded of Douglas Adam's reference to "extrapolating the universe from a piece of fairy cake".