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I am using Windows XP Home with service pack 2. when I reboot my computer the hard drive keeps running, and running, and running. when I
open the task manager by right clicking on the task bar or doing control/alt/delete it shows the file helpctr.exe many, many times. Then boxes come on the screen. one says:
helpctr.exe application error-
-the application failed to initialize properly(0x000012d) or ((oxc000017, or 0xc000012d142)) Click on OK to terminate the application.

another box reads: Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library
runtime error!
Program :C:\Windows\PC HEALTH\ HELPCTR\Binaries\helpctr.exe
This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way. Please contact the applications support team for more information.

if I use my mouse to move either of the above boxes there is another box under it. if I move that box, there is another box under IT. if I click OK on each of these boxes, each one disappears. when they are all clicked, the screen seems to be normal and all of the helpctr.exe entries in Task Manager
are gone.

It used to be that the computer would then work ok until rebooted. Now, however, when I open an application such as Solitaire or my web browser,
the HELP menu for that application also opens at the same time. if I push the X in the upper right corner of the help menu the help window closes but then reopens again by itself. if it doesn't reopen by itself it reopens when I click anywhere on the application

I went to SEARCH and entered helpctr.* and found this folder in about 5 locations. I changed the name to helpctrold. of each folder and rebooted.
helpctr.exe reappeared at each location and I had the same problem as above. Since one location for helpctr was in Service Pack 2, I re -downloaded service pack 2 thinking possibly that file was corrupted, but the new service pack 2 does the same thing.

What should I do next.