[tom_george]

OK, this is somewhat confusing and i wonder how you can help me. Windows has booted normally and i am staring at the desktop (on my mates computer). However when i click on start and then programs a text box comes up saying empty. when i double click MSWord icon its like the icon is there but the program is not installed. i tried clicking my computer, but get nothing. in fact, i can't even log off! any ideas on what went wrong? My mate does keep getting some error message about how an email cannot be sent but they dissappear before i get a chance to note anything of worth done. is this some sort of infection? any ideas on what to do greatly appreciated as always
tom

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ok so the icons now work, as does start button but real slow (does it really take 5 mins for my computer to open with nothing running?). i am trying to do disk cleanup and a defrag to see if this makes any difference but it is not as tho the computer has lots of data on it. without connecting to the net seems to have stopped the annoying anti-email messages that come up but i will no doubt be back when i connect to the net!

[tom_george]

ok so the icons now work, as does start button but real slow (does it really take 5 mins for my computer to open with nothing running?). i am trying to do disk cleanup and a defrag to see if this makes any difference but it is not as tho the computer has lots of data on it. without connecting to the net seems to have stopped the annoying anti-email messages that come up but i will no doubt be back when i connect to the net!

[Kniht]

Run a spyware and virus scan. See if anything comes up. Also if you installed any 3rd party software recently try uninstalling it and see if it helps.

[Kniht]

You also may want to do the following:

Download, unzip, and run Hijack This from one of these locations:
http://computercops....ads-cat-14.html
http://www.majorgeek...ownloads31.html
Unzip to a folder other than your Desktop or the Temp folder, doubleclick HijackThis.exe, and hit "Do system scan and save log file"

Save the log somewhere you can find it (Desktop, My Documents, or similar).
Most of what it lists will be harmless or even required, so do NOT fix anything yet.

Copy the HJT log file and copy to a new post on Geeks to Go Security Forum. The specialists there will be able to help you.

[tom_george]

thanks will give it a go and let you know how it goes