Ok - I finally had a chunk of time to run all the scans. Nothing much was found, a few tracking cookies and one malware from a download over a year old. Anyway, it's working now, but I'm not sure if its from the malware (adware.trymedia), or because I went in manually and deleted as much of the aol files as I could, since it wouldn't uninstall itself. I am now in the process of re-running the AVG anti spyware program, since it couldn't connect to the internet before to update itself and now it can. Also, I don't have any logs to post other than the HJK one, because none were created, even though the boxes were marked to save a log. Hopefully, it'll all work ok tomorrow (and the next day, and the next.....) cuz my kids are driving me crazy (mom, I need to check my email!). You can be sure if I have problems, I'll post again. Thanks VERY MUCH for the help and assistance.

Marked as [Fixed]

ok, I spoke too soon. It's back to the same. I was able to surf using ie last night and this morning. Last night, I attempted to download the latest MS updates, only one installed. When I turned off the computer this morning, another update installed and ie is not working again. This evening I went thru the whole shebang outlined above again, and still no luck. RIght now I am uninstalling ie and reinstalling to see if that works. any new ideas??

marie-- I suggest a rerun of the prework... and when finished... post your HJT log-- and others (if possible)
Here for analysis--

HiJackThis! Logs - PC Help Forum - Free PC Help

there are things that cannot be detected or removed without a trained eye to spot them-- that's why we have a Security Team.

I will also re-open this thread

Ok - I'm now on-line using ie 7 in safe mode + networking. Here's the HJT log from just before I tried the safe boot + networking.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 8:50:32 PM, on 3/1/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16608)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AppCore\AppSvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
C:\WINDOWS\system32\slserv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\snmp.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter\WLService.exe
C:\Program Files\Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter\WMP54Gv4.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SOUNDMAN.EXE
C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msiexec.exe
C:\Program Files\HJT\HijackThis.exe
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = Live Search
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = MSN.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = Live Search
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = Live Search
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = MSN.com
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec PIF AlertEng] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe" /a /m "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\AlertEng.dll"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMan] SOUNDMAN.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RemoteControl] "C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\PDVDServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [osCheck] "C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\osCheck.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\RunOnce: [RunNarrator] Narrator.exe (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\RunOnce: [RunNarrator] Narrator.exe (User 'Default user')
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\bin\npjpi142.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2\bin\npjpi142.dll
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Real.com - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Lic NetConnect service (CLTNetCnService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec IS Password Validation (ISPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\isPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate Notice Service Ex (LiveUpdate Notice Ex) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSvcHst.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate Notice Service - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\PIF\{B8E1DD85-8582-4c61-B58F-2F227FCA9A08}\PIFSvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PrismXL - New Boundary Technologies, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\New Boundary\PrismXL\PRISMXL.SYS
O23 - Service: SmartLinkService (SLService) - Smart Link - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\slserv.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec AppCore Service (SymAppCore) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AppCore\AppSvc32.exe
O23 - Service: WMP54Gv4SVC - GEMTEKS - C:\Program Files\Linksys Wireless-G PCI Adapter\WLService.exe
--
End of file - 7165 bytes


Also, I just found this in System Information - Internet Settings - Internet Explorer - File Versions:

iecont.dll <File Missing> Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available
iecontlc.dll <File Missing> Not Available Not Available Not Available Not Available

Thanks for working thru this with me!

I will move this thread to the HJT logs forum for analysis...

Nothing much is showing up in the log so lets look a bit deeper.

Ok.We need to download ComboFix.exe.
Please visit this webpage for download links, and instructions for running the tool

When the tool is finished, it will produce a report for you. Please post the "C:\ComboFix.txt" along with a new HijackThis log so that we can continue to do any further cleaning that your system may require.
Caution: Never run and remove files with Combofix unless supervised by a security analyst.

=============================================

Your Java is out of date. Older versions have vulnerabilities that malware can use to infect your system. Please follow these steps to remove older version Java components and update to the latest version if required.
Updating Java:
Download the latest version of Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6u4 http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp.
Scroll down to where it says
The J2SE Runtime Environment (JRE) allows end-users to run Java applications.
Click the
Download
button to the right.
Check the box that says:
Accept License Agreement.
The page will refresh.
Click on the link to download Windows Offline Installation with or without Multi-language and save to your desktop.
Close any programs you may have running - especially your web browser.
Go to Start > Control Panel double-click on Add/Remove programs and remove all older versions of Java.
Check any item with Java Runtime Environment (JRE or J2SE) in the name.
Click the Remove or Change/Remove button.
Repeat as many times as necessary to remove each Java versions.
Reboot your computer once all Java components are removed.
Then from your desktop double-click on jre-6u4-windows-i586-p.exe to install the newest version.