I'm running a Dell Dimension 8300 with Windows XP Home service pack 2. About a week ago I started recieving this error message. "The system process 'C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe' terminated unexpectedly with status code 203". I used the -a shutdown command to cancel the shutdown, but am afterwards unable to use the internet or open the majority of applications. Most apps already running also freeze up. I can run the computer fine if I disconnect from the internet, but obviously I can't refrain from the internet forever. I've run a multitude of antivirus/antispyware etc and have removed every exploit I could find, but to no avail. I've found many threads of a similar vein, but none that address the "status code 203" I have eTrust EZ Armor Firewall installed for security. Also, around the time this error started, about 80% of the entries under the startup tab under msconfig dissapeared, all the disabled ones, and also a few of the enabled ones. I would appreciate any tips anyone could give, and can probably provide any other information such as software hardware config that would help to rectify the problem. From what I've gleaned from the research I've been doing, its not a virus/trojan and is most likely a registry problem.Thanks in advance.