=?Utf-8?B?YnJpYW5jcmVpbGx5?= rambled on in
microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support:

> I get this problem every once in awhile. I start windows, it loads, but
> all the icons have reverted to a generic icon. Nothing works.
> Everything you click on only brings up the dialog box asking should
> windows try to find the program that runs this on the internet as it
> doesn't have a program associated with it. These are all .exe files. I
> can't run virus software or ANYTHING under windows. Any programs I try
> to download download, then immediately dissappear. I can't even go
> under windows explorer it says it doesn't know how to open the file!
> What causes this and how can I fix it?
>

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/article07-102

goto that link and read also run ad-aware, spybot search and destroy and
Microsoft Antispyware