Windows Screws up Post-Screensaver?

APZonerunner

I'm running Windows XP. Basically, everything starts and runs just fine. If I leave it, though.. the screensaver comes on. I only run "Blank", so this isn't so much of an issue in terms of making the PC do anything straining. However, if I leave it for more than a few minutes on the screensaver, any programs running stop working.

They're still there, but the windows are just plain blank and white. If I try to do anything it's often with no luck - I can move my mouse etc, but everything seems dad. Taskbar, programs - even the task manager fails to come up when using Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Any ideas what's causing this and how to stop it other than just turning my SS off?

EDIT: This whole problem in fact seems like some sort of memory issue or something - basic tasks are taking longer to complete, but yet all my RAM is there and CPU usage registers as low.

EDIT2: Ookay, yeah.. this is a larger problem. Just tried to defrag, it's frozen on 1%. Task Manager also froze in this same place and now the PC is dead once more until I hit the reset button.

Thanatos

Yeah, there's something fucked up with your computer. Probably a software problem. Try running Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy, and the free version of AVG Anti-Virus. If that doesn't fix it, I recommend reformatting.

And what are your software/hardware specs? What version of Windows, what processor, mobo, etc., and how much free hard drive space do you have?