Apps / Software :: GIMP Adware Appears To Have Activated Proxy Server

After I DLed GIMP I noticed that several other apps had installed themselves. Just your run-of-the-mill adware opening random popups asking to scan my system for this and that and trying to sell junk. I used Malwarebytes and AdAware. Don't get me started on AdAware, as I think they've been overrun by monkeys. Anywho, AdAware doesn't find anything anymore, whereas Malwarebytes found 40 something issues. It now says my system is clean.

Now the strange thing is, my problem didn't occur until after I deleted the extra programs from my system. I have yet to locate GIMP at all on my system. Firefox and Chrome were both rendered useless, as they were "unable to connect to the proxy server." The store page in Steam gives me nothing but a "-130 error."

The plot thickens... My computer IS connected to the internet, as I am able to play games online through Steam, and I was able to disable the proxy server setting in Firefox. However, when I attempt to disable my system's proxy server settings, it reverts back the second I hit Okay.

I have changed the registry setting from 03(proxy) to 09(auto-detect)....No dice. That change sticks, but appears to change nothing. I have also disabled other proxy settings in the registry that had been activated, changing 1s to 0s. Those changes stick, too, but still nothing.

The only constant is the phrase "some settings are controlled by your systems administrator" plastered in Internet Options. I am logged in as administrator and have even tried merging Brink's .reg file to remove windows update policies.