Please help, windows explorer crashes, blank desktop, virus?

[beckysummer]

Hi thanks for taking time to read this.
Last night I downloaded a program and I think it installed a virus on my pc. I am running AVG and comodo on XPsp2 and I allowed comodo to install this as I thought it was legitimate app. AVG hasn't picked anything up.
When it boots up at first it is fine for about 30 secs or so and then windows explorer starts to use up large percentage of cpu, so says task manager, and then all icons on desktop vanish as does taskbar . I can run task manager and windows explorer removes itself from the process list.From there I can run some other programs. PLease if you have any advice on the best programs I can download for this problem or what I can do I would be greatful.
Thanks
Becky

[BipolarBill]

You don't need more software. All you need to do is to use System Restore. Go back to a time before you installed this new program.

Welcome to TechIMO and keep it simple!

[beckysummer]

Hi if only it were that simple! The only restore date showing is the same day that it happened and
It's weird because it was not showing any other possible restore date, I couldn't go back to previous months as there was nothing there which seems odd.

HELP!!! lol

[BipolarBill]

Are you saying that you have no restore points at all?

It's OK to go back a month - you won't lose any documents.

If no joy, press F8 while starting and select Safe Mode with Network. Scan for viruses and spyware there. The one problem with Safe Mode is that many programs cannot be installed there. We may have to get creative to get something installed that can clean up properly.

Please - no drama. It's not going to make things better or faster. You have to remain calm. Get emotional and help is going to be hard to come by here. People bail out when the users get "needy".

[cyberstefke]

I have the exact same problem. Did you find a solution for this yet?