Please refrain from scolding me based on what I have installed. My computer was built for me by my brother, and he loaded the programs mentioned before on it. (so scold him! lol)
I will likely uninstall Spybot since it is not needed, though.
I am not a technogeek, but I can handle a computer decently well. When I tried to run OTL for a log, it locked up when scanning FireFox settings. Sat that way for 5 minutes before I gave it up as a no go.
The problem is DEFINITELY something in the shields as disabling them allows me access to internet, etc. Now I can't even get onto Trillian or Thunderbird without the shields disabled. I do not run a firewall at all, unless there is one built into my modem, which is entirely possible.
Another odd note, my laptop also has Avast on it (under the same email registration) and it hasn't forced me to update to 2014.9.0.2018 yet, where my PC made me.