Please help - programs and Internet won't load!

Hi.

I am new here so I hope someone can help.

When I switch on my computer and go into my user or admin, I can't access any programs at all. They are all there where they are normally but when I click on them, I get the egg timer come up and then the cursor again but no programs start. When I try to load the Internet, it continues to say connecting and then freezes. I wonder, is this a virus?

I am using safe mode at the moment as it ia the only way I can access the Internet and all the programs.

Could someone please help me to fix my user account as I have a lot of files on there which I need to access.

Many thanks,

Kirsty. S.

It's possible the problem may be a virus or malware etc.

But as a first measure, run a file check on the O/S.

Boot normally. (Not Safe Mode.)

Click START, RUN, type in

sfc /purgecache

This ensures that system files are copied from your Windows installation media, and files which may be infected with malware or corrupted are not copied from your drive.

Then type in

sfc /scannow

Have your XP CD handy as you will need it.

Post back with your results and any further questions.

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