Friend at work has a laptop, running Win Me.
It boots, then has probs with Zone Alarm - giving a couple of pop up messages saying failed to initialise e.t.c e.t.c

It boots up okay, other than these messages, but then half of the icons on the desktop are missing, when you press select the Start button it "depresses" and does nothing.

Also when you try to open My computer it throws open the window and says you are not allowed to access it !!

Anyone got any ideas as to whats wrong?

He has AVG Anti-virus installed.

I can't even get into msconfig.exe to stop things loading on boot.

p.s.
Found the following in task manager:

hidserv - for usb interfaces
Necmfk - pop-up eliminator
Apoint - mouse pointing device driver?
Pppcui - unknown
Back Web Agent - update agent (for zone alarm or AVG?)

Other items are the normal ones that are always there.

have you tried booting it up in safemode ?