After spyware removal & reboot: Unable to run explorer.exe

Oh man, so my computer was attacked by some sort of spyware yesterday, and I run MicroSoft's Anti-Spyware Beta (latest version) to attempt to remedy the problem. I scan, and tell it to fix the items found. It tells me to reboot my PC, so I do.

PC reboots, comes up, and it's just my desktop wallpaper, nothing else. So I brought up the task manager and ran System Restore, and restored to a couple weeks ago--but to no avail. When I next restarted the PC it did the same thing, show only the desktop image.

I've tried using the task manager to run explorer.exe, but I received this message in a dialogue box:

Windows cannot find C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe. Make sure you typed the name correctly, then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, then click Search.

The icon for Explorer is there in my \WINDOWS\ folder, and if I right click it and check the properties, all comes up as normal.

Can someone please help me? I haven't a clue what to do now, I've done everything I can think of. :/ Below is a Hijack This log from yesterday, I hope that it can help some how.

BTW--I'm currently using LiteStep, which is really quite nice, but to be honest I want to use explorer. >_<


P.S.: When I restart the PC, MS AntiSpyware brings up a CWS.ExplorerAnalyze which is not included in the list of checked items with CWS Shredder. I'm wondering if this has something to do with Explorer not working, but if not, it isn't a primarey concern right now.

[EDIT]

Whoops, I posted my hijack this log in the thread, then read the sticky about not doing such things, sorry. >.< I'll wait for further orders regarding this matter.

[/EDIT]

 

Sorry for the double post-- I went through the steps listed in one of the stickies here in the forums, and I can now run explorer.exe, however....

When I double-click Internet Explorer, it says:

Windows cannot find '(null)'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, then click Search.

Does anyone know why that would happen, and what I can do to fix it? >_<;;;

[EDIT]

I had to double post, because the Edit button no longer appears on my first post.

[/EDIT]