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The first thing I tried before posting was to completely shutdown my PC and restarted it with the same result. No working menu. After reading your post I figured what have I got to lose but this time I only did a “Restart” thinking I would have the same result but NO 🙂 This time it worked my start Menu is OK now!! Just to be on the safe side I tried a few shutdown with no problem.
Thanks a lot!!

Thanks JoeP but I’ve decided to do a factory default restore to fix the problem.

MSRT are part of their updates i believed.

Yes but if you can’t access the Microsoft website…you also can’t get the updates!!

Just for future reference because I just finished repairing a computer which had the same problem.

If you have access to Microsoft with another computer. Download and run the MSRT (malicious software removal tool)

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.aspx

After 3 days of Googling and malware scanning etc…I was able to access the Microsoft websites after running MSRT

I installed “Service Pack 2” in Oct. 2009 and never had any problems so if your PC is working OK …don’t worry about it.

Hi Rosemary,

I would suggest to start your computer in Safe Mode with networking. Then download this program from the Microsoft website: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx It is called Autoruns which will detect all the programs that are starting up when you turn on your PC. When you find the one which looks suspicious…I can’t remember the one used by “Total XP Security”…just disable it by removing the checkmark. Then try restarting your PC in normal mode, if you disabled the right one your computer should be OK and you should be able to go online to download “Malwarebytes” . Then just follow the instructions posted by BATcher!

Thanks….I also was having the same problem with those little red X in the help and support dialog box. I just never bothered trying to get rid of them because it didn’t affect anything and Windows Vista runs good on my PC.