one of the main problems im having is i cannot open control panel the desktop icons go off for a few seconds and desktop goes blank for ten seconds whenever i try to open control panel.

Any error messages in your log files that might shed some light? Use the Event Viewer in your Administrative Tools package to view the logs.

The first thing you should do is contact your consumer protection authorities and report the completely incorrect advice you were given and the questionable practice of generating extra sales by telling bloody lies!

The next thing you should do is realise that the absolute worst place to ever get advice about computers is from the sales people who sell them to you!

You were told an outright lie, I'm afraid! I'm more than that - I'm outraged by the deceit!

The only way that Windows XP Professional Upgrade CD is going to help 'fix' anything on your PC is if you use it to perform a format and clean installation of Windows XP on your system, and that would mean wiping off all your installed programs and stored data files!

I would tend to agree with Catweazle on this, sounds like a fresh install from scratch may be the best option. Have you got anything attached like a CD burner or USB memory stick so you can backup your documents/files etc?

I am sure if any one already mentioned this, but do you have the system recovery discs, hp either supplies them or you have to burn them, if burning software is working than you should be able to make the discs, using them to recover the state of your pc. Also you can set you pc back to a certain point in time (cant remember the phrasing) to before the time of the problem. If these methods dont work, get AVG anti virus
(http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl7.php)
and do a complete hard drive scan. If this also fails try tech support, and if they are of no help, re format and reintall windows.