NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction

[bill]

My laptop (not this computer) shows the following error message:
- 16 bit MS-DOS Subsystem - In blue At the top of message
C\WINDOWS\501971.exe
The NTVDM CPU has encountered an illegal instruction.
CS:0db6IP:01afOP:636f6e7465
Choose "Close" to terminate the application.

At some point I received a message stating uninstall and reinstall Norton
Antivirus. I uninstalled it and reinstalled it but it won't let me bring
it up.

I am running Windows XP home edition, Internet Explorer and/or Deepnet
Explorer 6.0 service pack 2

I am not technical so do you think I should just take this in to a shop for
repair?

Thank anyone for any help.

 

[S. Taylor]

C\WINDOWS\501971.exe is probably a virus and the message to uninstall norton
av
probably came from it, so that it could corrupt the reinstallation without
risking detection.

You have 2 choices, you can take in to the "shop" and let a techie remove
the infection for you.
Or you can burn the partition & boot record and try to do a clean install
yourself.

 

[bill]

Thank you so much for responding. I will see if my son can do as you
suggested.
Bill