Problem with opening programs

[cheetosandmovies]

In the last couple of months I've been having problems with my desktop computer (Windows XP Home). Any new program that I install won't open. I have no idea what to do, programs that were installed a while ago give me no problems. Does anyone know what's going on with my computer?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Welcome to the Windows Forum!

Can you give us some more information?

• Are you installing these programs from an Administrator account?
  
• Are you using (trying to open) these programs from an Administrator account?
  
• When you try to open from Start -> Programs, does the same thing happen?
  
• Do you get any error message(s), or just nothing?
  
• Can you give us an example of an installed program that doesn't run?
  

[cheetosandmovies]

I only have one account - the administrator account - so all the programs I've tried to open are under the administrator account. There's no error message, just nothing. Some of the programs I've tried to open are iTunes and Mozilla FireFox, but any program that was recently installed won't open.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

Can you try to run one of these programs while the Task Manager is open, look at it if the program at least briefly appears in the processes list?

Also, can you check the Event Viewer if there is anything (under Applications) for these programs at the time you tried to run?

[cheetosandmovies]

I tried to run Firefox and it did appear briefly in the processes list, but nothing in applications list except what I already had open. There didn't seem to be anything for Firefox in the Event Viewer.