windows 7 all programs crash cpu usage less then 10%

[xtina]

hi i am using an Sony vaio laptop E series VPCEA35FG with
an Intel core i3-370M processor G Hz, embedded windows 7 home premium 64 bit
320 GB hard disk drive and 4 GB memory and an ATI radeon graphics
i have been using this laptop since December (almost 4 months now) the problem i recently get a lot is this:
mostly the main programs i open is window MP and google chrome but sometimes also Microsoft word,yahoo windows live mssngr and others
suddenly chrome paint or Photoshop would crash when i try to close it it becomes unresponsive the worst is one by one all the programs start to become unresponsive..and lastly windows MP (when the song runs out) i can not open any other program anymore not even task mangr when i look on my desktop i see the cpu meter runing from 1%-5% only!!even the fan runs low meaning the cpu doesn't do overtime.. the only solution then is to hold the powerbutton and shut it down manually (which i dont like to do since i'm afraid this might damage my laptop in the long-run)
...pls help me if my dad finds out i'm having problems already so soon i'm in serious trouble...

 

[richc46]

Lets start with the easy stuff and most likely
Run a full and upadated virus scan
Download and run a full and updated scan with malwarebytes.
If that is negative test with a clean boot
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135

If you have not been doing things that Dad would not approve of (you know what I mean), dont worry.