This is strange... installing new programs?

[daycri]

I have windows XP, pretty basic computer system and I am not that intelligent about computers,  so bear with me here

This problem just started happening today, actually, after I did my last spyware scan with Spy Doctor (which did find a few files and removed them)   It now seems, that whenever I try to install a new program, I am able to download it, but when I click to run the installation I get a very weird blue screen! Not like, the 'blah blah blah' error message blue screen of death, but like my resolution changes all of a sudden to a smaller screen resolution and I see this blue screen with a bunch of glitches on it.. in which case, I am unable to move my mouse, and cannot restart or exit.   Does this make any sense?  It only happens when I try to install new programs, and completly freezes my computer

[GX1_Man]

What are you using for virus protection? Did you do your scans in safe mode? What happened prior to this?

[daycri]

a somewhat outdated version of Norton is being used for virus protection, and my scans were done in regular mode.  I have been having a couple weird problems lately with random browser windows popping up when not doing anything, so I ran the spyware check.. fixed that, so, nothing really drastic happened before this. Didn't find any viruses last time I used Norton.. It's weird, I might try to install something, just so I can take a picture of the weird blue screen I am getting. It has no legible text on it...

[CBMatt]

I suspect an infection (although it could be a hardware issue), but this might be a little hard to deal with if you can't install anything.  Can you install anything in Safe Mode?  Have you tried System Restore to go back to an earlier point?

[patio]

a somewhat outdated version of Norton is being used for virus protection,

With what is available Free this is unneccessary....
DLoad, install, update and run the following:

AVG Free or Avast Free.
Spybot
AdAware
AVG Anti-Virus

Let them fix anything they find. This may be a bit long-winded of a process but at least you will have a clean bill of health...

If the problem persists then post back as it is probably another issue...