XP is really glitchy on this machine

[CheshireMac]

Hey folks. Happy New Year. I'm trying to fix a friend's computer that runs on XP home . . .I'm unable to access the control panel, or the "My Computer" folder . . .I do know that on logging in, it warns me that it is missing two .dll files in the Win32 folder of System . . .the computer has been running horribly slow, and freezing on them . . .I ran several antivirus programs to be sure, and there's no virals to be found . . .I defraged the whole thing, and it did nothing for it. XP was already on the computer when they bought it, so there's no CD . . .I don't even know what service pack they have . . .the internet is obviously working well on Firefox . . .don't know about IE, I don't use it. It works at great speed and function online, but Windows itself is so glitchy . . .any thoughts?

Let's hear it for non-proprietary goodness . . .Ubuntu all the way!

[cozofdeath]

The first thing I would troubleshoot is the 2 missing .dll files. Can you post what files they are, that way maybe we can link you to some on the net to download. And we will be able to tell if they're system files and if they are you may be able to recover them by going to Start, run, type sfc /scannow. However if they didn't get replaced already by Windows File Protection its unlikely it will work, but its worth a try. The Control Panel and My Computer probably has a corrupt .cpl file (control panel applet). Control.exe, which is like a loader for your .cpl files, could also be corrupt. I good way to tell which .cpl file is corrupt is to open Windows search and type *.cpl in for the file search. Open every .cpl file until you find the one thats corrupt.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Have you also scanned for spyware?