XP click start click run

:-oSorry gurus, goofy question. I have machine, xpsp2 when I Lclick START, LClick RUN I get error 'Windows cannot create shortcut here". errgh it's end of day and driving me bonkers. What am I missing? Tried different mouse, restart, nada. I have seen this before but just not popping in my brain what it was. This machine has high probablilty of being infected but before it comes back to for cleansweep thought I would ask to make sure it wasn't some setting I am spacing out. Thanks for any tips/hints.

 

One option might be to close explorer.exe in Task Manager (under ctrl+alt+del, Processes tab), then go to the Applications tab, click new task, and type explorer.exe. OK out.

I also found this in another forum (it's from 2006, but someone found it helpful in 2008):

For those who will beat the monitor wondering why pressing Start -> Run (and Search, and Help buttons also) doesn't work anymore showing stupid message "Windows cannot create a shortcut here, place it onto the Desktop instead?", or why Internet Explorer "Manage Add-ons" menu doesn't work too, here is the solution of the problem (it has cost me 4 hours!):

The problem is you recently installed critical Windows updates (of 10 Aug 2006) but you did not install kb908531 (25.04.2006) -- that stupid update which installs Verclsid.exe tool. Install kb908531 and be happy.