My home PC is running on Windows XP.

Whenever I try to launch internet explorer and anthing to do with windows explorer I get 100% CPU usage and can't do anything but end the programs and reboot.

I recently downloaded the latest norton anti virus and internet security software although this problem didn't start immediately.

I have tried going into safe mode (where I can access windows explorer) to uninstall norton but it won't allow me to uninstall it in safe mode. Can I uninstall some other way?

I also can't copy my files to CD in safe mode because when in safe mode it doesn't seem to recognise that I have a CD in the drive. Diagnostics tells me there is nothing wrong with me CD rom.

Is there some other way that I can copy files on CD, such as through a DOS screen?

Have you scanned for spyware? If not .. then first scan for spyware.. submit your hijackthis log in our viruses and spyware forum.

I have scanned for spyware with no errors. As norton is no longer functioning I cannot repeat scan and I uninstalled other spyware software as norton was reporting it as a virus.

Please post your hijackthis log to our spyware and viruses forum.

The problems start when you launch IE?
You could try the following:
Uninstall software that was installed without prompting (from a web). Go to control panel/add or remove programs and try to figure out wich are the IE toolbars, dialers, downloaders, adware and such.
Empty the temp. internet files. To do so right-click the Internet explorer icon and click on properties (set your home page to blank while you're at it).
In middle row click on the middle button "Delete files". Then you will be prompted to empty the off-line contets too. Do. When done click on the settings button. You will see a settings window with 3 buttons. Click on the "View objects..". There will be a list of downloaded program files. Press Ctrl-A, right-click on any of them and click "remove".
If that doesn't fix it try uninstalling, reinstalling symantec utilities and scan the system for spy/ad/hijackware.
If that don't do the trick...
Friend of mine had a similar problem, only his IE would open new IE windows like crazy. He had to reinstall the system.
Anyway, if you have more than one partition on your HD and suficient space on them, you don't need to burn cds or dvds to save your work. Simply copy them on D: drive, boot from the XP Install cd, format c: and reinstall the OS. Simple as that. (right)

I can tell without even looking at your system just in what you say its spyware and viruse just because you say norton driver loading at startup which way it isn't detecting and is not not even working. how to fix load system in savemode installed adware professional if it load in safemode do full scan removed as much spyware as it could when it finsh then go to run then type reedit and removed in local machine all key the look like spyware the go to runonce and removed everthing. then restart system load hijackthis this and removed any thing that souldn't be there then run norton in safe mode do full viruse scan once done run system in normal mode see how it run. I would also get zonealarm for a firewall it also have spyware protection.

I also have the problem of my cpu going to 100% usage. Recently my computer has been jumping to 100% especially when i play songs in WMP, not sure why this is happening but it is very annoying.