Can't run Safe Mode or any spyware-removal programs

Hi, my laptop is a Dell Inspiron E1505 and I am using Windows XP

Problems (in order of appearance):
- Cannot perform System Restore (haven't been able to in a long time)
- Search engine redirects
- Cannot run Safe Mode (this has happened before, but that was due to a missing file, which I re-installed, and this time it's a different error... "A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer")
- Pop-ups (search engines ex. StopSearchClick, virus protection)
- Can't run Spybot: Search and Destroy, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, or HijackThis
--> "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."
- Both IE and Firefox are crashing frequently

Things I may have done to exacerbate problems while trying to fix them:
- deleting (newly created) files in system32, temp and system folders

I've done a decent job of getting rid of problems in the past, by running searches (and finding great sites/forums like this one) or figuring out what to do on my own (ex. I've been able to locate those ridiculous and merciless pseudo- "virus protection" programs and delete them on my own), but I probably got overzealous and now I have too many problems to be able to find one solution for all of them. Please help? I greatly appreciate any time or assistance (it's amazing what people do on forums like this one to help other people). Thank you and have a nice day!

Please download gmer.zip and save to your desktop.

• Extract (unzip) the file to its own folder such as C:\Gmer. (Click here for information on how to do this if not sure.)
• Disconnect from the Internet and close all running programs.
• Temporarily disable any real-time active protection so your security program drivers will not conflict with gmer's driver.
• Click on this link to see a list of programs that should be disabled.
• Double-click on gmer.exe to start the program.
• Allow the gmer.sys driver to load if asked.
• You may be prompted to scan immediately if GMER detects rootkit activity.
• If you are prompted to scan your system click "Yes" to begin the scan.
• If not prompted, click the "Rootkit/Malware" tab.
• On the right-side, all items to be scanned should be checked by default except for "Show All". Leave that box unchecked.
• Select all drives that are connected to your system to be scanned.
• Click the Scan button to begin. (Please be patient as it can take some time to complete)
• When the scan is finished, click Save to save the scan results to your Desktop.
• Save the file as gmer.log and copy/paste the contents in your next reply.
• Exit GMER and re-enable all active protection when done.

Hi, thank you so much for the prompt reply!
I started gmer.exe (after following all the other directions) and it detected rootkit activity, so I ran the scan. I left the computer for a bit but when I came back, my computer was turned off -- and no one else had been around it so I know it turned off by itself. I turned it on and tried to run gmer.exe again, but got the same error I've been getting with other programs: "Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file. You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item."
I don't know how this got so bad so fast

Since you have seen GMER flagging a rootkit, you will need advanced help. Please follow this guide from step (6). Post a DDS log to the HJT forum and a Team member will be along to help you as soon as possible.

I ran dds.srcr, and I don't think I have any script-blocking programs running, but while the black information screen (ending in "dispose after use") did come up, nothing happened for about a minute after. The window then went away, and nothing else happened though I waited for about ten minutes. I tried restarting and disabling my internet connection, but those things didn't help. :-/ I'm sorry if I'm doing something wrong! I don't think I'm supposed to post in that forum without a log, so I'm not sure what to do at this point. I'm sorry but thank you so much for all of your help until now!

You aren't doing anything wrong. It's the malware.

• Please download System Repair Engineer from here
• Unzip/extract sreng2.zip to a folder on your desktop
• Double-click on SREngLdr.EXE to launch System Repair Engineer
• Click the Smart Scan Icon
• Click Scan
• Wait for the scan to finish
• Click on the Save Reports button
• Save it to your desktop, using the recommended name of SREngLOG.log
• Close System Repair Engineer
• Use notepad to open the SREngLOG.log file
• Note: The log may be long, and you may need several posts to post all of it
• If you are using a custom HOSTS file, please leave out the HOSTS File section, as it will make the log far too long

Post a your SREngLOG log to the HJT forum and a Team member will be along to help you as soon as possible.

If you need any help with the guide, please let me know.