Unable to play videos - totalcodec.com issue

OS = - Windows Vista Ultimate

Recently I have been unable to play videos (avi, wmv, mkv, etc) using windows media player, GOM player and BS player, when I try to open the vidoes it keeps giving me this message, this program requires a missing windows codec and tells me to download this codec hxxp://totalcodec.com/ however this is not free.

I have already tried these troubleshooting steps
Scanned computer with Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware
Scanned computer with Microsoft Security Essentials
Scanned computer with PC Tools AntiVirus

none of these programs are finding any threats/issues, I also uninstalled the GOM player and reinstalled however that didn't fix it.

I also don't have any filesharing/P2P programs installed on my computer.

I am not sure what else I need to do.

Please advise.

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 1:45:37 AM, on 5/5/2010
Platform: Windows Vista SP1 (WinNT 6.00.1905)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18904)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\System32\smss.exe
C:\Windows\system32\csrss.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wininit.exe
C:\Windows\system32\csrss.exe
C:\Windows\system32\services.exe
C:\Windows\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe
C:\Windows\system32\lsm.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\MsMpEng.exe
C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\SLsvc.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\PC Tools AntiVirus\PCTAV.exe
C:\Program Files\Registry Mechanic\RMTray.exe
C:\Windows\system32\DllHost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\SearchIndexer.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Windows\system32\Macromed\Flash\FlashUtil10d.exe
C:\Windows\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Windows\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE
C:\Program Files\Opera\opera.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wbem\wmiprvse.exe
C:\Windows\system32\DllHost.exe
C:\Windows\system32\DllHost.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCTAVApp] "C:\Program Files\PC Tools AntiVirus\PCTAV.exe" /MONITORSCAN
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [RegistryMechanic] C:\Program Files\Registry Mechanic\RMTray.exe /H
O23 - Service: PC Tools AntiVirus Engine (PCTAVSvc) - PC Tools Research Pty Ltd - C:\Program Files\PC Tools AntiVirus\PCTAVSvc.exe

--
End of file - 2180 bytes

Hi tanya21,

Welcome to the forum.

My nickname is deltalima and I will be helping you with your computer problems.

The logs can take some time to research, so please be patient with me.

Please be aware that removing Malware is a potentially hazardous undertaking. I will take care not to knowingly suggest courses of action that might damage your computer. However it is impossible for me to foresee all interactions that may happen between the software on your computer and those we'll use to clear you of infection, and I cannot guarantee the safety of your system. It is possible that we might encounter situations where the only recourse is to re-format and re-install your operating system, or to necessitate you taking your computer to a repair shop.


Please note the following:

• I will working be on your Malware issues, this may or may not, solve other issues you have with your machine.
• The fixes are specific to your problem and should only be used for this issue on this machine.
• Please continue to review my answers until I tell you your machine appears to be clear. Absence of symptoms does not mean that everything is clear.
• If after 3 days you have not responded to this topic, it will be closed, and you will need to start a new one.
• It's often worth reading through these instructions and printing them for ease of reference.
• If you don't know or understand something, please don't hesitate to say or ask!! It's better to be sure and safe than sorry.
• Please reply to this thread. Do not start a new topic.

Please Note:
The programs I ask you to run need to be run in Administrator Mode by... Right clicking the program file and selecting: Run as Administrator.
Additionally, the built-in User Account Control (UAC) utility, if enabled, may prompt you for permission to run the program.
When prompted, please select: Allow. Reference: User Account Control (UAC) and Running as Administrator

Uninstall List

• Open HijackThis.
• Look under System tools.
• Click on the Open Uninstall Manager... button.
• Click on the Save list... button.
• It will prompt you to save. Save this log in a convenient location. By default it's named uninstall_list.txt.
• Notepad will open. Please copy and paste the contents of this log in your next reply.

lack of response,