BleepingComputer.com: Riched32.dll And Riched20.dll Damaged?

This is a clean install of Windows Home Premium on a brand new hard drive, only two weeks old. I cannot install any new software or open iTunes, or I get error messages referencing one of those two .dll files. I tried to reinstall Office 2007 -- it froze and crashed to Teh Blue Screen Of Death. I cannot install the latest Vista update. Tried system restore by booting off installation disk; was told there were no restore points available. (BS -- I've created two). I am also experiencing random shutdowns. I wanted to cut and paste the appropriate entries from my Event Viewer, but I got an error message telling my the 'snap-in' was screwed up.

I thought it might be malware, so I downloaded Norton AntiVirus. It won't install either. I downloaded their special tool for removing the Nimda worm, which damages the Riched20.dll file. Apparently I am clean. I tried downloading both .dll files and replacing them. It won't let me. I tried a repair install of Vista, but it apparently will not let me do anything more than repair the boot sector, run memory checks, et cetera. I tried purchasing and downloading a registry repair tool. *It* won't install.

I am honestly at wits end. WTF do I do? If I do a full reinstall of Vista, do I lose everything?

Whatever it is, it's getting progressively worse. I cannot open Word docs now, unless I use WordPad, and there's several paragraphs of gibberish at the beginning of each document. A few days ago I could still write. This actually scares me. I have a lot of work I do not want to lose.

Unless I can get some help, I am backing up what I've got and going back to XP.

Here's an article about riched20.dll and Microsoft Office: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291651

If you do a full reinstall, you'll lose everything (so backup). If you do a repair install, all should be well. But I'd try uninstalling Office first to see if that clears things up a bit. FWIW - this doesn't discount the possibility of a malware infection - I'd suggest a visit to our malware forums for more info there: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/forum103.html

/rolls eyes

I can't bloody DO a repair install in Vista! I get these five options when I try:

* Startup repair - This automatically fixes problems that are preventing Windows from starting
* System Restore - This will Restore Windows to an earlier point in time
* Windows Complete PC Restore - This will completely restore your entire PC - programs, system settings and files - from a back up that you have previously created (Available in Windows Vista Business, Enterprise and Ultimate editions only)
* Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool - This checks your computer's memory hardware for errors
* Command Prompt - This opens a Command Window

NONE of these address the registry problems I'm having. Hence my hair-pulling. And the riched20/32.dll errors aren't just in Outlook, I don't even USE Outlook. I get one on startup, I get one every time I try to install any sort of software, including Office. How do I repair or replace Riched20 and Riched 32 off the Vista installation disk? Does anyone know a way?