i did as was suggested to me and to violet. i did not find anything in my hosts files other than 127.0.0.1 localhost. so there was nothing for me to delete.
here is my hijackthis log
Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 12:34:06 PM, on 9/7/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ps2.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\QCDriver\LVCOMS.EXE
C:\windows\system\hpsysdrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb05.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe
C:\Program Files\Inverse IP InSight\PenTele\ARUpld32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\msCMTSrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Inverse IP InSight\PenTele\ARMon32a.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\SavRoam.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe
C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\YPager.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape\Netscp.exe
C:\hijackthis\HijackThis.exe
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar =
http://channels.aimtoday.com/search/aimtoolbar.jspR0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
http://channels.aimtoday.com/search/aimtoolbar.jspR3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
N3 - Netscape 7: user_pref("browser.search.defaultengine", "http://www.google.com/"); (C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\Application Data\Mozilla\Profiles\default\o5g6ppqf.slt\prefs.js)
O2 - BHO: F1 Organizer Class - {00000EF1-0786-4633-87C6-1AA7A44296DA} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ATPART~1.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ViewMgr] C:\Program Files\Viewpoint\Viewpoint Manager\ViewMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StorageGuard] "C:\Program Files\VERITAS Software\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SpyHunter] "C:\Program Files\VERITAS Software\Update Manager\sgtray.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [S3TRAY2] S3tray2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Recguard] C:\WINDOWS\SMINST\RECGUARD.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PS2] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ps2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LVCOMS] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\QCDriver\LVCOMS.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LogitechImageStudioTray] C:\Program Files\Logitech\ImageStudio\LogiTray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LogitechGalleryRepair] C:\Program Files\Logitech\ImageStudio\ISStart.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [hpsysdrv] c:\windows\system\hpsysdrv.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb05.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCDRealtime] C:\WINDOWS\realtime.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O9 - Extra button: AIM - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe