System32 folder keeps opening

I’m using Windows XP Home Edition and when I start up my system and get to the desktop, I am unable to run Internet Explorer, or just about anything else, until the System32 folder has opened up. The System32 folder will automatically open if I just start up, get to the desktop and then do nothing.

I’m running Norton Firewall and just before the System32 folder opens, my alert tracker advises that SVCHOST.EXE is trying to access the internet. Can you advise me please?

You don’t need to worry about SVCHOST.EXE since it’s just the program that runs services in Windows XP. Some services are so crucial that you don’t want anything else running in the same memory so you’re provided with a second process just to run them. Lots of services need to access the internet, such as the Windows Update service and Norton’s own LiveUpdate service, without that being a security risk. As for the folder that’s always opening, it might be that Windows XP is just opening the last folder you automatically left open. In Explorer, choose Tools > Folder Options > View and clear the tick next to ‘Restore previous folder windows at logon’.

If that’s not the reason, look to see if anything that’s loading automatically is listed as a long file name with spaces in and without any quotes around it, or if there’s an entry that’s just a ”. Choose Start > Run > MSINFO32.EXE and look under Software Environment > Startup Programs in the Command column. If you find a long file name with spaces, put quotes around it in the registry. If you one that’s just ”, delete it.