Can't install AV and CD-ROM disabled

Hello,

I am so relieved to find a forum like this where I can hopefully get some help!

I noticed a few days ago that my antivirus software (I was using Avast) was no longer activated, even though I was faithfully updating it daily. When I tried to reactivate it, I got messages saying it was corrupted. I then uninstalled it and tried to install alternate software, which wouldn't install -- I ended up trying five or six different antivirus programs. None of them would install, all had error messages saying either it was a corrupt download or some other reason why it wouldn't install.

I ran Spybot and got rid of a bunch of spyware on my machine, but that didn't seem to help my original problem. I've also been getting cascading memory errors that cause the dreaded blue screen freeze, and I have to reboot multiple times to clear the error, and it happens several times an hour. Also, my browser tends to freeze a lot.

I decided to back up my data files to a new external drive that I bought, and then I was going to reformat my C: drive. However, I wanted to make sure that my Windows CD was still good, so I put it in my drive and sure enough, it wouldn't read! I tried my other CD drive, and it wouldn't read either! I then checked in Device Manager, and it seems that both my CD drives are disabled and cannot be restarted. I tried to reinstall new drivers for them, but the system said I had the most current drivers and wouldn't reinstall.

I haven't yet reformatted my system, because now if I do, I will have a useless brick, I'm so discouraged.

I would appreciate any advice at this point, because I am thoroughly stumped....

 

Thanks for the reply. I have been working the processes stated in the malware removal guide, but I started running into problems with Spybot. It found so many "access violations" that could not be removed that it locked up my system and I got a memory error blue screen of death.

I rebooted and tried again, this time with trying the next step and installing the AVG software. The software would not install, saying that it was a corrupted download, etc. I tried downloading it again but got the same error, and I am using the link in the malware removal guide.

What would your next recommendations be?

 

Thanks for the advice, and here is an update on my situation:

* I ran everything that I could do in the Malware Removal Guide, except where I ran into problems as I previously described.

* I tested my memory with Memtest and found it had errors, so I replaced it. I retested the new memory with Memtest and found it was good.

* I resolved my CD-ROM problems by following the advice on this Microsoft article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];314060)http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];314060

* I finally got Avira Antivirus and AVG antispyware solutions installed (the trick was to immediately download and install, because if I waited then it seemed that something on my system would 'corrupt' the downloaded files).

I set up daily scans of Avira and AVG, and a backdoor thief (Backdoor.Theef.111) was detected. I quarantined and then deleted it.

At this point, what I would really like to do is know what else I need to do to restore my confidence that my system is safe, etc. Should I generate some Hijack logs etc.?