"AVG wiped out every .exe file on my hard drive." Never see any anti-virus do that before. Windows uses .exe's and if if AVG deleted these then windows wouldn't work. It probably wouldn't even load. So given this and your post (11). You have other technical problems. As you have to reinstall anyway. Backup then format the drive, run scandisk and defrag to check for physical drive problems.

Pinky - you left the lens cap of your mind on again.