OK, so hello again.

I've got at present this little problem with Windows 7

Whenever I move the cursor of my touch-pad mouse over the taskbar (INCLUDING system tray) along the bottom of my screen, as if to open the window for that program (e.g., explorer, skype, Windows start menu [windows BUTTON]) the 'normal' cursor becomes the circulating blue circle and I am unable to anything from the taskbar. I have noticed that time has not advanced since the problem first OCCURRED (16:06 26/08/2013)

I can open programs and documents that are on my desktop (e.g. Firefox), by reducing the area of any open windows and dragging them out of the way. (if I minimize them, I can't access them again - see above). Also, all the windows that were open when this problem first occurred seem to work as usual. cntrl-alt-del works, and that's possibly my only way of resetting/shutting down/turning off. I have used this to open the task manager - CPU usage is not high, mem usage 3.5GB, several IE9 processes inexplicably running, but I don't understand a lot of it.

I also have on my screen (permanently on top in the same location) a small window containing the words "Performs text-based (command-line) functions", left over from when I tried to open a DOS prompt as administrator (right click on DOS prompt in start>show all programs>accessories). That was this problem started (I was doing this because....well, it's long for me type)

What has happened ? How can I solve this problem and resume normal operations ? (I have not reset my computer since - if I can, I may not be able to use anything)

Dumb_Question
27.August.2013
HP PAVILION dm4 1050ea http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02209390&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0001 - 8GB RAM - Windows 7 Home Premium

It's possible its doing a Windows or HP update. Perform a shutdown which will install updates, if any.Thank you answering my plea.
OK, I will try a restart (shut down, power on)
During previous updates this has never happened before. It has been going on for more than 24 hrs now. The issue may resolve itself anyway onn restart, updates or no. It is certainly outside my (limited) experience anyway,
I'll tell you the result tomorrow.
Dumb_Question
27.August.2013
HP Pavilion dm4 1050ea http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02209390&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_r1002_usen_c-001_title_r0001 - 8GB RAM - Windows 7 Home Premium
(I do have a problem with your authority !)Quote

(I do have a problem with your authority !)

There is no 'reboot', only a 'boot' tab, and under that there are no relevant (it seems to me) options.

You said you can open task manager. Do that, and go to file -> run -> type msconfig -> press enter.

Uncheck the items under startup and reboot. Does the problem still occur? If it does, do the same thing and recheck the items.