Jenn,
This is how I would approach the problem. Assuming you've run all the appropriate spyware and virus detecting programs you have mentioned, I would still run an online scan using either or both of the free scanners at the links below:
Housecall Online Scanner
Panda Online Scanner
After that, if eveything came up clean, I would start cleaning out the junk and shutting down unnecessary "Start Up" programs using the instructions in the links below. Make sure to start by uninstalling all of the programs that you don't need from the "Control Panel/Add-Remove Programs" section. In addition, make sure that your audio and video drivers are current as some "incorrect" drivers can cause conflicts with other programs:
How To Shut Down Unnecessary Start Up Programs
How To Clean Unwanted Files From The Hard Drive
On XP after cleaning things up with the instructions above, make sure to run the "Error Checking/Chkdsk" and Defrag programs to optimize the hard drive. (Access them both by opening "My Computer", RIGHT click on the C Drive, choose "Properties", then click on the "Tools" tab. When running the "Error Checking" section, place a CHECK mark in both boxes, click on Start" and the computer will ask to be restarted. Do it and Error Checking will run a check on the disk and hopefully fix any problems that might be there.
Hope this helps and let us know how it goes.
Grif
I have A Dell pc with XP.
In the last few minutes, I have
been getting a full screen message that
"my active desktop has had to close".
Then, I have to click on a button to restore
my active desktop. It suggested why this may have occured, but none of the reasons applied to me. The reasons it gave were involving if I had recently
changed my desktop background or installed a new program shortcut onto desktop.
Also, I have been getting numerous error
messages that Windows has encountered a problem and must close. I'm afraid it's going to crash, and it's giving me the willies!!!
A message about dll files popped up, but it disappeared
as quickly as it appeared, so I'm not sure what it said.
I have run AVG, Spybot, Ad-Aware, CWS, HJT.
My system is clean. I'm not sure what other info. to provide. Anybody know what I should do? Jenn22

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