Question : Start-Up Programs unexpectically stopped loading at WindowsXP start-up

Hello, i am having a really weird experience this morning with my computer, after it installed some Updates on it self ... and more specifically this one: "Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - March 2008 (KB890830)". I was going to restart my computer because i had installed some SONY picture software, that asked of me to restart, when i noticed that my Shut Down button is market with the update notification: "Install Updates and then shut down"... so i did. After shutdown and power ON: ALL my programs that would normally start automatically after i log onto my account are missing - they wont start automatically. They work, i mean if i go and find their .EXEs one by one and launch them - they would start. All their paths are missing from "msconfig", meaning they are not just UNchecked, but their paths are erased from the registry. My computer works perfectly at least for now. So what is this weird thing that happened and what is the source for it... is it as a result of the last "Software Removable Tool" update. I did uninstall the SONY software - nothing. I did check for viruses - nothing... oh NOD32 also is one of the programs that need to be launched manually now :)   The NOD32 kernel works, cause it's a service, but the GUI needs to be started manually... i am in the Dark, i have no idea what happened to my computer... the free memory right now is like 70%, it used to be  40-50% though :).  pls help... i know how to fix all this, but drives me crazy not knowing what happened... 10x10x10x

Answer : Start-Up Programs unexpectically stopped loading at WindowsXP start-up

when i noticed that my Shut Down button is market with the update notification: "Install Updates and then shut down"... << yes which one did you choose?
If you chose the one install updates it will install while the shutdown manue is there but if you look it states dont touch it as it's installing the updates and will automatically reboot when done.

I woudl try a system restore first