I have to agree with demono69's observation: sounds like you're getting a hardware error message. As for the "catch 22" login cycle you've been trapped in, it's a sporadic problem that some users have had recently, myself included. We don't know exactly what's causing it; I recommend trying a help desk's favorite advice: log out, close the browser, reboot your computer, fire it up again, and go back in. You might also try dumping your browser's cache.
Once these problems are squared away, you may find navigating around the forums easier. If not, e-mail me, and I'll try to walk you through it. (I'll e-mail a copy of this message to you, too.)
Ah, computers. Can't live with 'em, can't afford to upgrade. [:0] Good luck!