help please

[idontknow]

im a computer newby so bare with me i proberly did this myself.my desktop icons have all turned white with the e sign on them with a blue arrow on the bottom left of each box when ever i try to open open something the file download sign comes up with the run n save option this never happend before.even when i continue with this option it the internet exsplorer screen flashes n im back to sqaure one.also the only way i can go onto the net is through my start options due the exsplorer sign on the bottom left being like the desktop icons n not working im ready to give up.im on vista n system restore wont work either any ideas many thanks.

[CBMatt]

From the looks of it, your files have been associated with Internet Explorer.  How long has this been happening?  To change your file associations, right-click on a file and go to Properties.  Next to Open with:, click on the Change button.  This should bring up a long list of programs.  Choose the appropriate program and click OK.  So...if you wanted to change a text file back, you would choose Notepad or Wordpad.

But I have to ask...
Is this happening with all of your files?  Or just the ones on the desktop?
Are any of them unaffected?
What protection do you have?  This sort of thing doesn't normally happen on accident...