games not loading, just blank screen

I was wonderin also if any of u guys could help me, recently ive started playing my games as usual (my comps got all the trimmings FX card, gd processor etc) but they dont load up! There is a pictue of a spinning disk, then a black screen with a loading hourglass,...then nothing, ever, its getting on my nerves, ive tried some stuff but it doesnt seem to help...whots a geek gotta du to play his games arrg?!

comp
geforce fx 5200 128mb
windows XP service pac 1
256 mb ram
amd 2200+ anthalon
direct x9.1

all virus updates etc for norton ad aware etc

any suggestions gratfully accepted - even obvious ones coz im a bit of a rookie

cheers

 

happen on all games or just a few.. list them please.

 

all games, Neverwinter, Baldurs gate, Temple of elemental evil, every demo ive tried, its bad, could it be the graphics card - also odd thing - media player works until you put in full screen mode then the picture/animation doesnt work, dvds dont work either and it doesnt let u try and run games in windowed mode etc becuase the screen freezes even on the desktop when trying to configure a game,

cheers

 

Are these games that need the disk inserted to be run? Maybe CD drive needs cleaning, or is going bad? Anyone else got any ideas???