I have 2 problems:
1- Whenever I click any of the shortcuts, I get the following error message:
Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
Then I get right after the following error:
DrWatson Postmortem Debugger has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
The only way I can run programs is to use the run option in the tast manager. I initially thought that it may be a spyware but I ran adaware, aboutbuster and others and nothing was found.
Here's a fresh log from Hijackthis to prove that my computer is clean:
Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 3:54:52 PM, on 4/14/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE\opware32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\LXSUPMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\BCMSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Plaxo\2.1.0.80\InstallStub.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\WCESCOMM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe
C:\Hijackthis\hijackthis\hijackthis.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,(Default) = http://red.clientapp...//www.yahoo.com
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Companion BHO - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn0\ycomp5_5_7_0.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: CNisExtBho Class - {9ECB9560-04F9-4bbc-943D-298DDF1699E1} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: CNavExtBho Class - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn0\ycomp5_5_7_0.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Web assistant - {0B53EAC3-8D69-4b9e-9B19-A37C9A5676A7} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [URLLSTCK.exe] C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\UrlLstCk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Omnipage] C:\Program Files\ScanSoft\OmniPageSE\opware32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LXSUPMON] C:\WINDOWS\System32\LXSUPMON.EXE RUN
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BCMSMMSG] BCMSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PlaxoUpdate] C:\Program Files\Plaxo\2.1.0.80\InstallStub.exe -a
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [msnmsgr] "C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [H/PC Connection Agent] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\WCESCOMM.EXE"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Create Mobile Favorite - {2EAF5BB1-070F-11D3-9307-00C04FAE2D4F} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\INETREPL.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {2EAF5BB2-070F-11D3-9307-00C04FAE2D4F} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\INETREPL.DLL
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Create Mobile Favorite... - {2EAF5BB2-070F-11D3-9307-00C04FAE2D4F} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft ActiveSync\INETREPL.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O16 - DPF: WMP10ctrl - http://www.cinemanow.com/WMP10ctrl.CAB
O16 - DPF: {01A88BB1-1174-41EC-ACCB-963509EAE56B} (SysProWmi Class) - http://support.dell....iler/SysPro.CAB
O16 - DPF: {427273CC-764E-11D3-823D-006097F90453} (Pixami Image Editor Control) - http://www.imagestat...ab?ver=1,1,0,32
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://v5.windowsupd...b?1094774071171
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn...pDownloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {B9191F79-5613-4C76-AA2A-398534BB8999} (YAddBook Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.c...utocomplete.cab
O16 - DPF: {CE74A05D-ED12-473A-97F8-85FB0E2F479F} (dlControl.UserControl1) - http://www.cinemanow...Control_3_1.CAB
2- My second problem is with automatic updates. If I try to access automatic upates through the control panel, all options are diabled. I can only stop/start automatic updates from services. If I do, then I get tens of error messages saying:
Automatic Updates has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
These messages keep coming until the cows come home

I have tried to scan for errors and nothing was found and I defragmented the hard drive. I still have both problems.
Can anyone help?