Help me fix laptop please!

[CAJ1]

We have a windows XP laptop and recently it's been playing up. If I go onto the internet via the dongle, it either freezes, comes up with a system shutdown message or a generic host process win32 message (I have downloaded the hotfix on the windows website for this but its still doing it). I have AVG on the laptop so I'm guessing this would catch any viruses. I'm no computer whizz so please make answers on fixing it easy to understand!

Thanks

[Ethel]

Is it running ok without the dongle?

What sort of dongle is it? Mobile broadband, wifi adapter, what?

[CAJ1]

Yes, it seems to run ok without it. It is mobile broadband

[Ethel]

The problem is obviously the dongle and not your pc.

Has it ever connected well with this dongle from the location you are currently at?

Have you changed your firewall, or updated it?

[CAJ1]

I think it may be!

Sometimes it works really well and fast with no problems but more than often crashes or freezes.

What is firewall? I have anti spyware on the laptop if thats firewall?? lol, told you I didn't know much about computers!

[Ethel]

Click Start - control panel - security centre

What does it say for firewall?

A firewall stops unauthorised access to your pc and monitors and checks internet traffic.

[CAJ1]

I did that and I don't have an icon for security centre???

[CAJ1]

I fixed it! All I had to do was download the latest SP pack from windows, it was still on SP1!!!