Can't Open Programs

I just started having this problem this week after accidentally clicking an ad link on a gaming website. My computer functions normally (just a lot slower) until about an hour or so into use. Then, texts from webpages and my status bars on internet browser windows and microsoft word start to disappear and my entire computer begins to lag. I am unable to open any new windows (get a windows error message), and I can't even access my command prompt or task manager (same error message). However, once I reboot my computer, everything is back to normal until another hour into use.

I copied down some of the errors I got…

When I tried to open up Paint…
An error message popped up saying "OLE 2.0 was unable to start." When I clicked "ok" on this message, a second one popped up saying "Make sure that you are using the correct version of the OLE libraries."

When I tried to open up Firefox, Internet explorer, or task manager…
An error message popped up saying "The application failed to initialized properly (0xc000012d). Click on OK to terminate the program."

I took a screenshot of my word document and tried to copy/paste it into the same word document so that I can save it and upload it after I rebooted my computer. At first, whenever I tried to paste the screenshot, an error message popped up saying "Error getting the Clipboard Data. There isn't enough memory or resources to complete operation. Close some programs, and then try again." However, I only had Microsoft Word and firefox open at the time, and this kind of message had never popped up before prior to my current problems.

I was eventually able to paste the screenshot though. Here it is…

[external image: Posted Image]

I posted this in the Virus/Malware forum and was told that this doesn't appear to be a malware issue. I was advised to post this in this forum. Can anyone help me? Thanks in advance.
http://forums.whatthetech.com/index.php?sh…=115417&hl=

How does it behave if you boot to Safe Mode with Networking? If better then something is starting at boot that is causing the problem.

Use msconfig to determine what is causing the problem.

These are good tutorials on using msconfig in XP or Vista:
How to use msconfig in Windows XP
How to use msconfig in Windows Vista

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Reboot and see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable several items at a time till you find the culprit.

If no, boot to Safe Mode again, start msconfig and click on the Services tab.
Check the Hide All Microsoft Services box, record what is currently starting then click the Disable All button.
Again, do a regular boot, see if it runs normal.
If yes then use msconfig to enable services till you find the culprit.

Once you've found the culprit, uninstall it or find out how to eliminate it from your system.
Simply disabling it in msconfig is a temporary fix at best.
Enable everything else you disabled.