it does take a little getting used to and letting the program learn, it will pop up and ask you do you want to let such and such connect to the internet you will likely know what is asking because you are trying to use something that needs access so in those cases say yes, if it is something that needs to access it regularly like your antivirus check mark where it says remember this so it does not ask each time. Do not give server rights some things will ask but it is not necessary once you say no to server rights it will next pop up asking for access, that you can allow. If it is something you do not recognize asking then say no and see if you can determine what it is, if you had some type of malware that is trying to phone home you would not want to allow that access. I prefer mine to pop up and ask each time with some of the rarely used stuff I like to know what is connecting. When getting zonealarm or any other free firewall or any program actually be very alert during the install period and uncheck or do not allow the addition of any toolbars or extras, Zone alarm unfortunately now does try to include a toolbar with the free version, you do not want that toolbar. and if you have problems or questions just ask. When something like generic win 32 something ask for permission say yes or you will not be able to connect to the internet, that is one to check mark always allow. Yes as grandms said with cable you have a direct connection and with no router in between you and the internet that even more dictates the use of a software firewall. The benefit of a router with built in hardware firewall is great but I use both on my windows machines, actually my linux has guarddog firewall built into it so I even have one on linux. The link I had provided the main reason I do refer that link is that there are such good instructions and pictures for someone new to firewalls.

Hmm, I had not read the whole MS page but basically you only need to follow the first 2 instructions. I have never had to use those other instructions myself. Remember that if you get flustered just click the Cancel button to get out of where you are. There is nothing to be afraid of when using System File Checker. You It simply goes through your computer checking all the operating system files and replaces those which are corrupt or missing. The need for the CD is so it can get the needed files to install for you. The slight downside is that it takes the computer back to when your particular CD was created which means you will be behind on security updates and possibly a service pack. No big deal there either, you simply go to the windows update site and the computer grabs whatever it needs. You are doing nothing wrong. Who knows why those files went missing. Perhaps/probably it was due to the power outage. You can of course extract and install each of those files if you wish to avoid using SFC. Follow the instructions here to do that for each file. You do not have to do them all at one time. Try one, see how it goes then do others as you feel up to the task.

OK, here's that log. Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2 Scan saved at 4:55:30 PM, on 8/29/2009 Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905) MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6001.18294) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\HPWAMain.exe C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\WiFiMsg.exe C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\HPHC_Scheduler.exe C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LightScribeControlPanel.exe C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\HpqToaster.exe C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPHelper.exe C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEUser.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://ie.redirect.hp.com/svs/rdr?TYPE=3&tp=iehome&locale=en_us&c=81&bd=Pavilion&pf=laptop R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch = O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - (02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - (06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3) - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - (3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0) - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgssie.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - (DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9) - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O2 - BHO: HP Smart BHO Class - (FFFFFFFF-CF4E-4F2B-BDC2-0E72E116A856) - C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - (EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88) - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SynTPEnh] C:\Program Files\Synaptics\SynTP\SynTPEnh.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QPService] "C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\QPService.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpWirelessAssistant] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\HPWAMain.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WAWifiMessage] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Wireless Assistant\WiFiMsg.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\Windows\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG8_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgtray.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Health Check Scheduler] c:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\HPHC_Scheduler.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [LightScribe Control Panel] C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LightScribeControlPanel.exe -hidden O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE') 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: HP Smart Select - (58ECB495-38F0-49cb-A538-10282ABF65E7) - (no file) O9 - Extra button: Research - (92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263) - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL O9 - Extra button: HP Smart Select - (DDE87865-83C5-48c4-8357-2F5B1AA84522) - C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\Smart Web Printing\hpswp_BHO.dll O13 - Gopher Prefix: O16 - DPF: (7530BFB8-7293-4D34-9923-61A11451AFC5) (OnlineScanner Control) - http://download.eset.com/special/eos/OnlineScanner.cab O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - (F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1) - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG8\avgpp.dll O20 - AppInit_DLLs: avgrsstx.dll O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.DLL O23 - Service: AVG Free8 E-mail Scanner (avg8emc) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgemc.exe O23 - Service: AVG Free8 WatchDog (avg8wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG8\avgwdsvc.exe O23 - Service: Com4Qlb - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Quick Launch Buttons\Com4Qlb.exe O23 - Service: GameConsoleService - WildTangent, Inc. - C:\Program Files\HP Games\My HP Game Console\GameConsoleService.exe O23 - Service: HP Health Check Service - Hewlett-Packard - c:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\HP Health Check\hphc_service.exe O23 - Service: hpqwmiex - Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. - C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\Shared\hpqwmiex.exe O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1150\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe O23 - Service: LightScribeService Direct Disc Labeling Service (LightScribeService) - Hewlett-Packard Company - C:\Program Files\Common Files\LightScribe\LSSrvc.exe O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Windows\system32\nvvsvc.exe O23 - Service: QuickPlay Background Capture Service (QBCS) (QPCapSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\QPCapSvc.exe O23 - Service: QuickPlay Task Scheduler (QTS) (QPSched) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\HP\QuickPlay\Kernel\TV\QPSched.exe O23 - Service: Cyberlink RichVideo Service(CRVS) (RichVideo) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\CyberLink\Shared Files\RichVideo.exe O23 - Service: XAudioService - Conexant Systems, Inc. - C:\Windows\system32\DRIVERS\xaudio.exe -- End of file - 6727 bytes I get a warning on HJT that the publisher is unknown. Also, the version I have requires me to run it as administrator as I have Vista.

Well if you had success with Malwarebytes perhaps it is not necessary to run Superantispyware. If you would care to try then as you start the computer keep tapping the F8 button and a screen will appear with start up options. Select safe mode, everything will look totally different to the normal startup because only essential drivers have been allowed to start. My concern was the fact you mentioned AVG was not running properly. That is a good indicator of trouble. On reading the initial post a second time it appears you overcame that issue