Unclosable IE window

[shvyn]

Hello there...

1st time poster and hoping someone can help.

I recently performed a fresh install of Window XP Home Edition with SP2 and installed all the critical updates from the Windows update site. I have also downloaded Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Toolbar.

My problem is this. While surfing the web using IE6, some links (not any in particular but totally random) will lead to the opening of a new IE window which is either empty or displays the page in the "restore" size on a "maximise" page. This can also happen if I right click a link and choose "Open in New Window" and has happened when accessing my email from Windows Live Messenger (but not always, sometimes it works fine). This pages can be "restore", "minimise", "maximise", or moved around but are UNCLOSABLE. The pages are also non responsive. The only way i have been able to get rid of them is to restart my computer.

I have searched the web profusely for a solution but to no avail. Please can someone help me? It is a fresh install and would dread to have to do a refomat as time is a contraint with the begining of the University semester and work piling up.

Other softwares installed or downloaded are as follows:
Microsoft Office XP and Plus
Apple Quicktime and iTunes
Skype (not installed yet)
Norton 2006 (fully updated)
DivX
Software and drivers for hardware from Logitech, Creative and Nvidia

Thank you and any help would be much appreciated.