Hey everyone, new to this forum and in desperate need of help because I have tried everything I know to no avail.

I basically get the following error when I try and open anything from the desktop such as 'My Computer' 'My Documents' 'Recycle Bin' or even the control panel through the start menu. The only way I can browse my folders is using the 'run' command box. The full error message reads as this;

Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library

Runtime Error!

Program: C:\Windows\explorer.exe

The application has requested the runtime to terminate it in an unusual way

I click ok and the desktop disappears as explorer.exe shuts down and then reappears as it restarts.

This happened last night after I installed a game on my PC. It installed fine and with the game was an official update patch. However I didn’t execute the patch in the game directory, I executed it on the desktop - the patch said it was successful but would this have affected it? I have removed all traces of the game but I am still having this error.

I have ran Ad-aware and Mcaffee virus scans in normal and safe mode and have been unable to find anything.

Also explorer.exe works fine in safe mode but not in normal mode.

I have run the sfc / scannow in the run command and everything is fine

I have ran BHO CAPTOR with no unusual results

I have used HJT and I can’t personally see a problem

Any ideas? I have browsed other forums but there doesn’t seem to be a solution.

Thanks for any help

PS. I'm on Win XP, Dell computer