Problems browsing some web sites with some sort of scripts

I don't know how to put it in proper terms but I'm currently having trouble loading some web sites that have some sort of scripts in them. Examples:

1. Cannot load the Hotmail web site. I had it set to sign in automatically. Worked fine all along but now it just sits there with a blank page when it tries to sign in.

2. Cannot do a search in MS KB. If I type anything into the search box and hit Enter, I will be taken to the Advanced Search page with nothing to choose from in the combo boxes (i.e product selection box). Fortunately, Google still works.

3. WindowsUpdate will not load. Same blank page as the Hotmail scenario. As for OfficeUpdate, it will stop dead when the scan is about to begin.

4. On any web site that has web mail service, I could not perform any script-based functions like delete, move or create new folder.

5. As I'm typing this post, none of the VBB formatting buttons (bold, italic, underline, smilies, etc.) work. Clicking on any of them would just take me to the top of the page.

Any ideas what went wrong?

 

more details needed what OS are you running etc

 

Oops sorry, forgot the details...

I'm running Windows XP Pro SP2 (slipstreamed, near-fresh install).
Browser is Maxthon 1.0.0220 Beta, but since it's based on IE, IE has the exact same problems as well.

Right after the fresh install, these are what I'd done after loading the proper drivers, in this order:

1. Installed Office 2k3 (slipstreamed with SP1)
2. Installed ACDSee 6.0
3. Installed Maxthon 1.0.0220
4. After checking around with WindowsUpdate, installed AdAware SE Personal and did a full system scan following a definitions update (removing a few spywares along a way)
5. Browsed around MajorGeeks a bit, downloaded and installed AntiVir Personal and PestPetrol (did full scans with both and ended up uninstalling FlashGet)
6. Downloaded Avast! Antivirus Professional
7. Removed AntiVir just to try out Avast!.
8. Didn't really like Avast!, so removed it and reinstalled AntiVir (with proper reboots in between, of course)
9. Boom......I couldn't check my Hotmail account, WindowsUpdate wouldn't load....you know the rest...

As of now, PestPetrol and AntiVir is still running in the tray area. Did a full scan with both but turned up nothing. I have tried uninstalling both, but still my browsers refused to function properly. I have a feeling that something must have screwed up when I was switching antivirus software, but I have no idea what was it.

I know another fresh reinstall would definitely straighten things up, but I don't have the time right now. So any other suggestion is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Regarding the Windows update,do you have this error showing
HTTP Error 500 - Internal Server Error, Error 0x8ddd0010
if so chk this out http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=883820
when uninstalling those programs you had installed,did you uninstall through the add/remove or from the program itself?

 

Nope, no error whatsoever, just a page with nothing in it . The window title changed to "Windows Update" and the page went blank, then nothing happened. With hotmail, the window title changed to "http://loginnet..." and then everything stopped.

And yes, I uninstalled them through the Add/Remove applet, then went to remove whatever's left each program's folder after each reboot.

Seems to me like the browser's not responding to some particular types of scripts, like some forwarding scripts or something where the URL changes dynamically. And it's not just Hotmail and WindowsUpdate that are showing symptoms. Lucky for me, the "Submit Reply" button still works.