Problem with the MS Anti-Spyware system

I don't know if I should post this here, and I don't know if anyone else is having this problem with the Microsoft Anti-Spyware program that I've been trying to run for quite some time now. I posted this here because it seems like a general problem rather than a spyware-related issue, even though this is an anti-spyware program I'm having problems with.

It seems that the scanning is all good...that is, UNTIL it hits this particular register key:

Once it tries to scan that, the program hangs there (stops responding), forcing me to close out of the program. This is happening EVERY SINGLE TIME I try to use it, under ANY circumstances (even in any version of safe mode). I've tried to remove spyware that may have conflicted with that registry key, but it STILL HANGS!!

It's VERY annoying because it seems like my computer is a favorite target, for whatever reason, of one of the more annoying trojain/spyware programs out there, sixtypopsix ("pop64", which I'm guessing I'm the first one on these boards to bring up that one, and once I'm hit with it, seems to like to do just that. Pop up 64+ popups in under a minute), and I believe the MS program is what I need to finally get rid of this very annoying thing...IF it would work right.

I'm using Windows XP SP1 (for some reason, it won't download SP2, doesn't give any reason as to WHY), in case you need to know.

I have no clue what it is about this key that makes the program hang, and I heard many good things about this program, and I want to experience this, too, but I gotta know what is going on and fix this hang-up first, and I'm out of ideas. PLEASE HELP!!!

 

Odd .. Never happened to me, i have the same program as well but never experienced any trouble.