Windows XP 0xc0000142 error

Before all of this, the machine worked just perfectly. Damn me, I decided to:

• "msconfig" -> remove some useless applications from the automatic startup;
• install the latest windows update
• restart the machine

When (re)started, I log on with the only user I have in the system. On desktop loading, all the applications I flagged or unflagged on the automatic startup just start themselves. Every one of them! The desktop became white with the "Restore Active Desktop" page. I never used the active desktop, and is actually disabled, so I can't figure the reason of this Restore functionality. I tried to execute msconfig, or cmd, but the error 0xc0000142 popup showed.

The same error with the same code popups on every application I try to start from the desktop icons or from the Start->Programs menu. For instance, I am not able to open the Control Panel either, due to the 0xc0000142 error popup.

The only applications I can open successfully are those I move on the right of the Start button (bottom-left of the screen).

I suppose this error is from the explorer.exe application, but in this situation, I am frustrated. I am not able to revert the latest windows update, which I figure is the guilty here.

Final question: how can the 0xc0000142 error be fixed ?

I supposed the windows user was kind of corrupted. So I entered in safe mode and logged as Administrator. The user Administrator is available only in safe mode for my PC configuration.

I created a new windows user, flag and unflag start up applications running msconfig successfully and restart.

In normal mode, I logged with the created user and restart.

In normal mode, I logged with the corrupted user and the magic was done!

The old user was just fine again! No more popups. I am technically not able to explain the fix but as far as I saw, doing the steps caused the fix.