Strange symbols in the minimize and maximize boxes...

[dpk777]

i get these strange symbols in those boxes for some reason...
and when i try to open a document in Publisher it always freezes...
those weird symbols seem to appear in odd places too, like when i hit the start button there will be an "8" instead of an arrow pointing to which program i want to open.

help?

 

[dpk777]

should i re-install software?

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

sounds like a corrupted hard drive...not fun