Dear users I have been having a few problems with my XP, I am not a complete beginner but this has me stuck. Yesterday out of the blue all Icons on the desktop vanished, as did the taskbar, all i had was my desktop wallpaper and a mouse pointer. I restarted the PC and let it run scandisk and i ended up at the log in user screen, I have 2 assigned users, Myself and an ex GF's. I clicked on my user account and the monitor went off as it does when i reboot and thats exactly what it did, rebooted, i was back on the BIOS set up before Windows loads. Anyway i tried my account again and it did the same, in the end i decided to try the other account, my ex GF's and windows booted up to desktop and worked fine, after about an hour a set computer to stand by and then logged into my User account which then worked, everything seemed all ok untill i noticed my Quick launch icons gone next to Start. Thinking nothing of it i tried to re add the icons back but it wouldnt let me, i right clicked the taskbar and selected Lock taskbar, Keep on top of Windows and Show Quick Launch and applied, still nothing so i right clicked it to try again and the Show quick launch i had just ticked had vanished so i re ticked it and applied and still nothing, this process went on for ever so i created a new quick launch folder and r clicked taskbar > toolbars > new toolbar and selected the new folder to which it said cannot create new toolbar. At a loss and frustrated i did a system restore back 5 days before i had the problems and did the above, still no joy so i went into safe mode and administrator and again did all of the above but no joy again. After doing the system restore i couldnt get into my user account like before, it kept rebooting so i had to use my ex GF's account again, no Quick launch in there either and i tried what i did before in her account with no joy, after an hour or so it let me back in my account again. I have no idea why the quick launch has gone bizzare and vanished, do you have any idea's? my PC has worked fine for over a year with no problems. I also keep getting pop ups when i first log into windows, i dont even need to open IE up to get any, after about half an hour and 15 pop ups it stops and i dont get pop ups anymore, its almost like a ritual. I do have Grokster but this isnt running when i get the pop ups, everything in MSCONFIG is gone except Zone Alarm Pro to save on Memory and increase preformance, PC is set to Selective Startup in MSCONFIG with all 5 options beneath enabled. I have ran Spybot, Adaware, PC Bug Doctor, and System Mechanic as well as a virus scan to no avail. Do you have any ideas on these issues? Respectfully, Carl. Regards and Thank you

Google for CWShredder. Its a trojan remover for spyware. It works great. Should help take care of some of your popups

As far as your quicklaunch bar is concerned once you log into your account, go immediately to command prompt and run the command SFC /SCANNOW . this will restore alot of windows "uncorruptable files" you should have ur xp cd on hand.