Thanks to my windows operating system I am now typing this in Linux in a fit of rage...

I am having a huge problem with spyware. I have Norton Personal FIrewall on my computer along with Lavasoft Ad-Aware. I will scan with ad-aware it will come back with files, i will delete them, an hour later more files will be on there. In windows, once I open internet explorer, more windows will open whenever the hell they want without me doing anythig except type. The last couple times I tried writing this the text would highlite itself as I was typing and it would get deleted. I'm becoming so frustrated I do not know what to do. Everything seems to be working fine in linux, which makes me want to beat the hell out of my windows os. I'm at a loss for words and I'm very annoyed...

A firewall alone is not enough protection. You'll need a good Anti-Virus program as well (McAfee 7.0 or higher is currently the best).
If you don't have one yet, buy/borrow an up-to-date AV-CD, boot up from that CD and inspect your PC for viruses. You must be inundated by now.

Then download Spybot S&D from security.kolla.de and run it. It will find a lot more than Adaware.

Next, throw your Norton Firewall away and download the free (or better, buy the full) version of Agnitum Outpost. Their freebie is already better than Norton Firewall.

First of all, AV software is pretty much useless against most spyware. Secondly, neither Spybot nor Adaware will rid you of everything.

What version of NPF are you using Phat? I use '03 and it has options which WILL help protect you from some of the things you are talking about. the adblocking will also block some of those pesky popups that try to fool you by changing your startpage when you press "no" and other such annoyances.

And you should definently look over your IE security settings (hint: look in TS guides section )

if some spyware wrote something to his hosts file, do you think spybot or adware would fix that?

This may not be the answer to your problem, but I used to use Opera, and thought it was the best browser there was. But recentlly, I've started using MyIE2, and with all the ad-blocking it has incorperated into it, it's amazing how little ad-ware gets through to my firewall, Zone Alarm Pro.

I used to have maybe a 50 or 60 entries in ZAP that show up in my privacy settings, that were blocked in a days session of 16 hours or so, now I only have maybe 5, thats how much MyIE2 is blocking. More than likely you've already tried it, but I thought I would mention it in case you haven't. I think it's much better than regular IE, and is the same I think, except for the extra's that it has, and the mouse guestures, which are great.

Just my 2 cents.

if the above files are not cookies then I would say that your problem is not from browsing its from an application you have installed that is recreating/downloading those files again after you delete them. if this is the case then you are simply going to be in an endless cycle of deleting until you remove the program that is doing it.

and it's not windows fault if you install software that does this stuff.

It's also possible that you have Kazaa (full version) running, which is a git as it leaves so much spy and adware in its wake. I agree that Spybot is infinitely better than Ad-aware. It immunises your pc so that much of the adware doesnt get a chance to plant itself. I have AVG (which is a free anti-virus guard) which always does extremely well in tests against those you pay through the nose for, and Sygate Personal Firewall..... I havent had any ad or spyware left on my pc in a couple of weeks, which cant be bad.

One thing that does bear constant repetition, and I hope this doesn't come across as patronising: Anti virus guards are only as good as their updates. Set it to update, and run every day. Also you could run an online test from either Symantec or Trend, both of which are free and completely up to date.

Anybody have any idea about how to get the search off of the top of my IE window?

click view | toolbars | customize...
then click on what you want to get rid of and then click on the remove button.

this is the search you are talking about right?