The updates will protect you against the various security flaws.
You should get them.

Microsoft is making a CD available with all the updates  to Feb 04.
Get your copy .

How to obtain and use the Windows Security Update free CD (February 2004)
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=833242

List of security updates that are included on the Windows Security Update CD
(February 2004)
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=836570

Larry,

In most cases, though not all, problems like you seem to experience, that
develop after updating Windows or after installing what one would normally
expect to be trouble-free software/hardware, etc., are due to the condition
of the underlying system--*and* to not following sane procedures for
installing the updates/software/hardware. If the underlying system is
already in a state of DLL Hell, or any precariously balanced state where,
say, you have disable this or that, because it "doesn't work", or
installed/uninstalled software/drivers various times, looking for a sweet
spot--any changes are sure to throw the whole thing back into serious chaos.
Likewise, if before updating or installing new software or hardware/
drivers, etc., you do not first shut down all the background applications
running on your system, empty TEMP, and otherwise cleanup, your chances of
successful reprogramming are seriously impaired.

I don't know how to advise you on cleaning up your existing system. For
someone who is not already well-versed in the procedures, anything beyond
the basics can be daunting, and dangerous to your system's health. But I
*will* suggest that there are no magic bullets. *None* of the "Fix-All"
registry analyzers, or other system cleaners out there are worth a damn
except in the hands of experts who can understand the results of system
scans and make the proper decisions for themselves. At best I can suggest
that you make sure all your personal files are well backed up, that you get
the Security Updates CD, that you collect and catalogue your applications
installation software, updates, hardware drivers--in short, that you prepare
for a completely clean reinstallation from scratch--and then, before
resorting to that drastic solution, at least attempt to revive your current
system, learning how to clean up your system in depth, uninstalling a ton of
stuff, rebuilding the hardware profile, cleaning out garbage files, cleaning
up the Registry, etc., etc., etc. Even if you fail to restore your system to
true sanity, and have to resort to reformatting and starting over, you will
have learned a lot (and learning new stuff is good rehab after a stroke, is
it not?)

Meanuwhile, in case you haven't seen this, here's my standard advice for
people in your situation (though, as I say, I suspect your's is a more
serious case than can be remedied altogether using these procedures.)

See my article, "Clean Boot--What it is and why you need it"
http://www.google.com/groups?selm=%23CzLXep4DHA.1664@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl

Because some of the more recent known invaders are capable of interfering
with the suggestions contained in the above, and because they may *be* the
problem, I suggest you also consider first doing the following, though it
may be necessary to set up a clean boot, and even then manually kill a
malicious process or two before you can even get these accomplished.

Update your Antivirus, run a full scan. Then, if you haven't already, get,
update and run any or all of the following Trojan/Parasite/Adware/Spyware
cleaners. I recommend getting and running *all* of them. They each target
slightly different things.  Again, be sure you update the definitions they
are using to identify crap before running them, each time you run
them--which, depending on your surfing habits, should be anything from once
a month, to once a week, to once a day, to once an hour if you're really
into junkware sites (aka "Free goodies", game sites, fun-places-to-be, etc.)

Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
SpyBot-Search & Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/
HijackThis http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe
CWShredder http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/files/cwshredder.zip

PLEASE! Before doing any of these, see also,
http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/Darnit.htm for suggestions and cautionary
information about internet surfing, and some important hints about using the
above. ESPECIALLY, be aware that HijackThis scans result in a LOT of stuff
that you *don't* want to delete. The admonishment to save a log and show it
to an expert is critically good advice. Not following that advice can really
do some damage to your system. SpyBot, too, is capable of similar problems,
especially if you change default scan settings or "Immunize".

An additional tool that is very helpful in protecting your machine is a
HOSTS file. Microsoft MVPs maintain a frequently updated list of bad sites.
They may be sites that provide most of the junky advertisements you see in
other places, or sites that install spyware/adware, or that, for whatever
reason, you shouldn't allow into your system. Using the HOSTS file, you can
redirect such addresses to a site that's guaranteed will fail to load on
most machines--your own computer.
HOSTS Overview -- http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

Also handy is MVP George Geyde's HOSTS File Manager. You can find it at the
bottom of this page:
http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/Software.htm