Screen flashes, taskbar goes to the top, what do I do?

I have a Dell Dimension 2400 with Windows XP, with a Samsung SyncMaster 731B monitor and here's my problem.  Everytime I leave my computer for a few hours, I return to it and the taskbar has gone to the top of the screen, the screen flickers (sometimes grey, sometimes white, and sometimes black), and none of the programs work on it.  After a couple minutes the mouse cursor will move around the screen but is not able to click on anything.  This has been happening for a few months and everytime it happens the only way to fix it is for me to hold the power button down until the computer shuts down then start it back up (I know you should never do this but Ctrl+Alt+Delete doesn't work and I cant get to the start button).  Once everything gets restarted it is fine, but when I leave it be for a few hours it happens all over again.


Here is a video I took of what my computer looks like when i return to it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqf1d0Jy7Kk

Does anyone know what is possibly causing this and how to solve it? 

Double post.

you told me to post it in here...?

LOL, silly...yes, after you complete steps from this manual:
http://www.computerhope.com/forum/index.php/topic,46313.0.html

I went to download the SP1a and a message popped up saying that I have a newer version than the one I was downloading so it stopped the download.

That means, you have it installed.
Don't worry about post #1 in that thread. Go to post #2.

Should I do all of the 6 steps?

If we want to be sure, your computer is 100% clean, yes.
In worst case scenario, you may skip step #1. I don't want you to get confused.

here are my logs, hijackthis, superantispyware and eset online scan

[saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

1. Print this post out, since you won't have an access to it, at some point.

2. Close all windows, except for HJT.

2a. Go to Control Panel>Add\Remove, and uninstall WebSavingsfromEbates, and WeatherBug

3. Put a checkmark next to the following HJT entries:

- R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{9368D063-44BE-49B9-BD14-BB9663FD38FC} - (no file)

- O2 - BHO: AIM Helper - {D70E6A20-7060-4829-B3D7-B6624A1DE7C6} - (no file)

- O4 - Startup: PowerReg Scheduler.exe

- O8 - Extra context menu item: Web Savings - file://C:\Program Files\WebSavingsfromEbates\System\Temp\ebateswebsavings_script0.htm

- O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)

- O9 - Extra button: WeatherBug - {AF6CABAB-61F9-4f12-A198-B7D41EF1CB52} - C:\Program Files\AWS\WeatherBug\Weather.exe (file missing) (HKCU)

- O18 - Protocol hijack: mhtml -

4. Click on "Fix It" button.

5. Restart your computer in Safe Mode (keep tapping F8 key, when your computer starts)

6. Open Windows Explorer. Go Tools>Folder Options>View tab, put a checkmark next to "Show hidden files, and folders".

7. Delete following folders (if they still exist):

- WebSavingsfromEbates, AWS folders from C:\Program Files

8. Turn off System Restore:

- Windows XP:
   1. Click Start.
   2. Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
   3. Click the System Restore tab.
   4. Check "Turn off System Restore".
   5. Click Apply.   
   6.  When turning off System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click Yes to do this.
   7. Click OK.
- Windows Vista:
   1. Click Start.
   2. Right-click the Computer icon, and then click Properties.
   3. Click on System Protection under the Tasks column on the left side
   4. Click on Continue on the "User Account Control" window that pops up
   5. Under the System Protection tab, find Available Disks
   6. Uncheck the box for any drive you wish to disable system restore on (in most cases, drive "C:")
   7. When turning off System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click "Turn System Restore Off" on the popup window to do this.
   8. Click OK

9. Restart in Normal Mode.

10. Turn System Restore on.

11. Run HJT again, and post back its log back here.

Neither WebSavingsfromEbates or WeatherBug are installed on my computer... should I skip over step 2a?

Yes.

Ok, I did the steps, here's my new HJT log

[saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

I overlooked one unnecessary program.
Restart in Safe Mode. Go to Add\Remove, and uninstall Viewpoint Manager
Restart in Normal Mode.
Post new HJT log.

New HJT log.

[saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

Did you uninstall Viewpoint Manager?
How did it go, because it still shows up?

Hmm, I did uninstall Viewpoint Manager.  As I look at my Add/Remove Programs now, it is not there, but there is another program called Viewpoint Media Player.  Should I have uninstalled that as well?

Yes. Try it in Normal Mode, but if it won't let you, go to Safe Mode.

Ok, I was able to uninstall it in Normal Mode.  Here's the HJT log:

[saving space - attachment deleted by admin]

Nice, and clean
How is your computer, now?

I'll have to let you know tomorrow, since my computer is fine until I leave it for a few hours.  So tomorrow morning I will find out!

Thank you for all your help Broni 

You're welcome
Keep us posted.

Well, I sat down at my computer this morning and it did the same it had been doing.   
The only difference I noticed is that I was able to use Ctrl+Alt+Delete to restart my computer and I didn't have to hold down the power button. But other than that, I was unable to use any programs and the screen was all messed up again.

Well, you definitely had few bad guys, we cleaned that out, so we eliminated that possible culprit.
Now, you said, it happens after you use your computer for a while, or it happens right away, as well?

It happens right when I move my mouse. 

See, if same thing happens in Safe Mode.

So should I leave my computer in safe mode over night and see if it is messed up when I return, since it only happens when I leave it for about 6 hours?

Let's clarify. It happens, when you leave your computer on for a few hours, AND you need to move your mouse then for it to happen?
If so, yes, leave it overnight in Safe Mode.
If it happens in Safe Mode, as well, you may have overheating problem.

Yes, it happens when I leave my computer on for a few hours, (overnight or while I'm at school), and when I return the screen saver is on, so I move my mouse and the screen messes up.

Tonight I'll put it in Safe Mode, and I'll see in the morning. 

One more question, then...
Is your screensaver, Windows screensaver, or custom?

It is a windows screen saver, the one with the 3D pipes.

Just making sure, it's not 3rd party screensaver.

Yea, it's not.  Do you think that having the monitor power settings set to "Turn Off Monitor After 20 Minutes" has anything to do with it?

It shouldn't. Let's try Safe Mode, first.

Ok, last night I put it in Safe Mode, and when I woke up it was fine.  So then before I went to school I put it back to Normal Mode.  When I got home from school I moved the mouse to remove the screen saver, and it was fine, for about a minute and then the screen and mouse just froze, so I had to restart it by holding down the power button ( since Ctrl+Alt+Delete wouldn't work).

[Moderator]

Try re-installing both your mouse and keyboard drivers.

And, it is back to the flashing screen.  Today after school it was all messed up like it was a few days ago.

[Malware Removal Specialist]

Video card going bad?

Sounds like the same symptoms I had with my win98 once. The screen and mouse would freeze for no apparent reason at any random time. Then one day it froze and I couldn't get it to boot back up to Windows. Turned out to be the vid card.

But when I run my computer in Safe Mode it is fine.  It's just when I run it in normal mode that it messes up.

[Moderator]

But when I run my computer in Safe Mode it is fine.  It's just when I run it in normal mode that it messes up.

This is because in Safemode Windows is using a generic driver to run the hardware...therefore it is either a driver issue or the actual card going bad as evilfantasy suggested...

That's it.

Ahh, well I'll just deal with it for a while longer then until I get a new computer. 
Thanks for all of the help!