trouble running various programs, particularly installation files, + windows update

[star_ak]

i've been having difficulty opening various files, particularly installation files (many of which i know to be valid) but also some programs which were already installed and previously worked on my computer. when i click on them, sometimes a window flashes for an instant and the cursor turns into an hourglass, but i don't get anything more satisfying than that.

wondering if anyone else has experienced something like this? i think i may need to replace some of my windows applications but i have no idea where to begin.

also, windows update keeps asking me to download and install the same fourteen programs which i've already installed a hundred times. i can't seem to get it to give me service pack 2 at all (thougb i'm hearing more and more that maybe that's a good thing).

i've done a lot of virus and spyware scans and i *think* i've done a pretty thorough job with that. i've used the microsoft antispyware beta program, ad-aware, antivir, and stinger.

any advice / ideas as to what my computer's problem might be? it's running okay other than those things, but it's really lame that i can't install most new programs or get the windows updates.

*ak

[LooseChippings]

What are the programms that Windows is asking you to install?

TBH problems like this are usually easier to cure by formatting the HDD and starting with a clean sheet.

Also I would recomend more physical RAM when running XP.

[star_ak]

Originally Posted by LooseChippings

What are the programms that Windows is asking you to install?

before windows update will let me into the custom install site, i must download this. every time.:
Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 2.0 and WinHTTP 5.1 (KB842773)

once i get into the site, it tells me to download these:

Security Update for Windows XP (KB893066)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB888302)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB891781)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB888113)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB873333)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB890175)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB893086)
Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 (KB890923)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB890859)
Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1
Security Update for Windows Media Player 9 Series (KB885492)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB885835)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB873339)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB885836)

something curious that i noticed is that it says the download size + time for each of these files is 0 kb, 0 seconds.