windows has stopped working

windows vista ultimate installed on a hp pavilion dv6000 (built for home premium)


i have absolutely no idea what the heck is going on with this computer.
symptoms include:

-explorer.exe shuts down when entering my computer, control panel or any data drive.

-disk drive works with an auto run file. scanned with norton scan and sweep and no viruses.

-doesn't work in safe mode either

-also updates wont install at all

:major

when explorer.exe is about to shut down it brings up the window that says it has stopped working and is searching for a solution in about 2 seconds it restarts the process.

normaly windows vista waits untill the window says its not responding and then pops the windows. this computer, however, pops this window up when ever you perform the above described operations.

 

Insert the windows setup disk & do a repair install.

 

yeah i figured that was what i was going to have to do. but just for kicks does anybody know what the problem is from?