Explorer does not always open

I tried to read as many of the related posts on this subject. I can usually only access Explorer in Safe Mode - and even then, it's very slow and the mouse barely works. So, it's very difficult reading the posts!.

I seemed to have had some viruses. I have Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009 and AVG Anti-Virus (free). I previously had Norton Anti-Virus until it expired (came with the new computer). I was getting a lot of miscellaneous ads while on google and was being redirected to ad sites. Kaspersky didn't pick up anything but when I added AVG and scanned in Safe Mode - it showed several Trojans (some Id'ed with Adobe and Java) which I think I deleted. But since then - I'm having trouble getting into Explorer.

I'm thinking when I deleted the viruses - it removed some Explorer connections.

In regular window, I can get into IE8 maybe 1 out of ten times. The other nine times - it times out (won't open anything - I just see the MSN headers etc but no page details). And -the only way I can open it; I have to search for IE8 in the start section and them right click on the link to open. It will not open with any other Explorer icons. I tried uninstalling IE8 and reloading (per MS instructions). Sometimes, if a page opens, it's a MS page asking me to download IE8 - but most often it's the typical MSN page.

I reloaded Adobe 9.1 and Java - per suggestions on forums. I haven't added the Vista Service Pack 2 (from what I can tell).

Restore: I can't seem to use System Restore.Always says I have no Restore Points.

Windows Security: Seems to be on and off. Sometimes I can't activate it -turn it on , when it say's it's off - in Safe Modeand in regular windows. It seems to have a mind of it's own

CPU: More often then not - it's running at 100%. Computer is very hot and slow.

Beyond banging this laptop on the floor D)...I don't know what else to do!.