Need help please: Malware infection? Unable to update scanners to diagnose it

Hi,

I'm new to this forum although I have been sent here to download stuff on occasion. My computer is acting up (what else is new) and I am hoping I can find some help here. My apologies if this seems long, but I figure it is better to explain than to make you all guess what is going on lol.

Originally my post was placed elsewhere in the forum. It was suggested that the following information seemed to point to something suspicious like malware and that I should take my problemsolving here. I read the rules and the Read and Run Malware Removal Guide. I promptly fell off my computer chair, hit my head on the desk and when I woke up prayed that this was all a bad dream :confused. Just wanted to run this by the malware team to see if I should indeed go through this process and what to backup before I start. Also, will there be problems like crashing and BSOD where I might need to reload Windows - I hope that can be avoided.

Here's what's going on:

Yesterday when I tried to update my Comodo 3.14.130099587 Free Firewall, I got an error message - Error 106 which also says I don't have an internet connection. I clearly had an internet connection since I had my mail up, several websites open and was streaming video from a site. After I checked all my connections again and closed stuff down I tried to access their website to try and do a manual update. I could not access its website to do an update. It redirected me to a dead domain site. This sent up a red flag. I figured maybe I should clean up and scan my computer (something I do often anyway).

I scan with AVG Free every night, do malware scans usually weekly with other programs, and twice a week or sometimes more if I do alot of streaming I will use CCleaner to dump temporary internet files, etc to keep things running well.

My AVG Free antivirus version 8.5.436 was updated successfully today and has had no problems. I scanned my computer and it came up clean. After having done CCleaner first, I didn't even get any warnings (usually cookies mostly).

Then I attempted Spybot S&D. A month ago I tried to update Spybot S&D and it said "Error retrieving update info file". It lets me scan and immunize but of course the database definitions are now outdated. It is version 1.6.2.46. Today I tried updating again and it gave the same error and interestingly, like my Comodo problem, I could not access the website for a manual update. It again redirected me to a dead domain page. I also use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware so I just used that when Spybot failed the first time. Not sure if I updated Malwarebytes then.

Now Malwarebytes won't update either. It gives me Error code 732 (12007, 0). I am using Version 1.44, definitions date 1/15/2010, data version 3569, fingerprints 178048. Again I cannot access their websites either to do any kind of manual update. It redirects me to a page that says DNS error, website cannot be found (the same dead domain page the others gp to).

I did do a Spybot and Malwarebytes scan with the old database definitions and it came up clean. I downloaded and scanned with Superantispyware yesterday as recommended here as well. It found 8 adware items which it removed.

Oh and BTW, I also tried to access Windows Update. Two weeks ago, I spoke with a Dell Senior Tech about a BSOD that would not allow me to boot. Everyoen wanted me to wipe my drive and reload Windows but he found that the problem was apparently caused by one particular Windows update KB977165. He also had my motherboard relaced along with my optical drives and cables for other nagging problems (liek no functional optical drives). Since those problems arose, I have not tried to update Windows since at that time I had no idea what the offending update was.

I tried going through my Windows Update button, which took me to the "I don't have an internet connection" window. I tried going to Microsoft but when I tried their link it did the same thing. Seems like whatever is going on has selectively decided not to allow me to access anything security related except for AVG Free Antivirus. One of the other kind folks on the forum had me check my firewall for blocked items. Nothing was blocked except on one file and I reassigned it as "ask". However, yesterday, when I was told my internet connection wasn't made (don't know how since I had a bunch of windows open including my mail), I actually turned off the firewall and tried to access them again. No luck either.

I do not surf carelessly and do try to keep my computer safe but I guess I hae failed .

My question is could this be caused by some sort of malware or viral infection that is not diagnosed? I tried restoring my computer but the same thing happens. I suspect when this started a while ago when Spybot S&D wouldn't update. I might not have tried to update the other things so didn't notice the problem til now. My computer was having issues for a long time - motherboard related apparently - and I guess I chalked it up to that. The motherboard replacement seemed to fix the other problems but not this one.

My computer info: I am using Windows XP Pro SP3. I have a D-Link Router (655?), AVG Free Antivirus, and Comodo Firewall. I have the windows firewall turned off and no other antivirus installed. The malware programs are set to be scanned manually as I do not like a whole bunch of stuff running. Only AVG and Comodo are running all the time. I try and keep my startup menu bare bones. My computer is a Dell 630i, 3.17MHz with 4 Gig of ram. Have a Raid 1 harddrive configuration and SLI video cards. Oh and BTW, I'm sort of a computer dummy so if you would be kind enough to help, please give me step by step instructions.

Thanks in advance. I appreciate all the help I can get.