Unable to access antivirus updates for any antvirus programs, including McAfee, which I am subscribed to, and AVG, which I downloaded hoping that it would be able to update. Since that didn't work, I purchased Registry Cleaner as well as Spyware detector, but neither helped me. McAfee wasn't able to help me either. Can someone help?
I get a message such as "McAfee was unable to access the internet"

**McAfee was unable to access the internet**
sounds like a firewall blockage.
Is that a security suite? If so, you'll have to use the uninstaller from the McCraffe website and also use regcleaner:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4...
to remove all remnants of it. If you don't do that, NO other AV or firewall will work properly.

If Norton was installed before you installed McAfee you will have to do the same for that.

Too bad you purchased software as there are so many good ones (like the ones listed in my link) that do the same job if not better.

Try an online scan with Kaspersky and also a free online scan x-cleaner:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php
and remove all it finds.
Let us know how your PC runs after that.

Some HELP in posting on Cnet plus free progs and instructions Glad to Help!