does your boss have any idea when this started happening? I mean has the laptop always doen this or has it only recently started? If this was my lappy, to be quite honest I'd get all the data I needed off it - (by the looks of things you may have to do that from the DOS prompt or safe mode), repartition and reformat the HD (and repair the MBR) and reinstall windows (or another OS whatever tales your fancy). Something like that I wouldn't even bother to find out what was wrong because you could spend ages looking for the answer and not find anything.

Z

[edit]

having had a quick look round - this might interest you. to summarise, try reinstalling IE

http://perils.pamelajoy.com/2003_01_01_pe.php