Cannot load programs or install programs including updates

[Barbara]

I cannot get several programs I have been using to load,
the first one that failed to load comes up and I get the
following message.

Tool Number of Tool not specified or invalid. To set tool
number use keyword tool number in section {Tools} of INI
file.

Four other programs have stopped loading up, no message.

McAfee firewall will not start.
Virus scan will not load, message is , Failed to Load
McPal DLLS.

I have run system recovery, did not help at all. Cannot
install programs including microsoft updates.


All of this started quite suddenly, no idea what caused
it.

Please help!!!!

Barbara