Our program files and shortcut files can no longer be opened. The icons arent even there anymore, they were replaced with weird looking icons like a windows setup program or something. We cant even run a system check. How can we get them up and running again? no card games,pc games, no messengers, nothing. Please help

You may have a virus or trojan or worm or adware or some other sort of malware. Run an AV scan, and download AdAware and Spybot, install them, update them, and run. Delete anything that looks suspicious. Some advise deleting everything because it's all reversible. Also get Spyblaster which keeps a list of bad stuff on your computer and blocks them from being installed (theoretically). Be sure your independent (not MS’s) firewall is enabled. If you had in mind running Hijack This as well, and posting your log, don’t until after you’ve run the two programs below. Then if you want to run HJT and post the log, do so in the Security and Virus settings and say you’ve run these two al-ready. If you don’t do this, the forum moderator will delete your post. Spybot AdAware

Stacey I think you either have a virus or a corrupt system file, I suggest first you try the file association fix. If it doesn't work head over to Confused's and Devastated's message threads, the guys there have alot of solutions and seems like they are describing the same problems you are having. XP File Association FIX Here's the thread from Confused Here's the thread from DEVASTATED HTH. Kev.