unable to ad friends

Are they searching your steam login name or nickname?

Try having them search your email address. Or, if you're friends with them on facebook, link your Steam account to your facebook account and it'll show you all or any of your facebook friends' steam account pages

I have problems using the search function on steam..
But if you can get directly to the person profile (you can get the link from their account here)

You cna go there and just add as friend without using the "search" function. :D

Give them this link?
http://steamcommunity.com/id/boondoc/

I'm not sure your friends want you sending ads to them anyways.

i would also ad a friend - it's a good friend, rarely used, looks like new and costs only 9.99, tests say this friend is 40% more efficient than a standard friend

They are lying. They really just don't want to be your friend.

There are two searches.

This one and this one.

You need second one. Access at the bottom of your friend list window or second option in "friends" tab at the top of steam main window.

forever alone