Windows was having problems with their Windows Updates to XP (service pack 2, I believe), but that's been resolved. I upgraded my work machine a few days ago and everything's OK.
If you have bootable virus software you should use that to boot with and do a full system scan.
Yeah, that`s another thing my brother was telling me that I might have a virus. I have NO virus software whatsoever. I hope it isn`t a virus