Outgoing Requests Blocked on Various Programs

Hey all. Here's my problems
In Zune Software, I can't login to the marketplace/social
In Twhirl (a twitter client) I can't login to receive my feeds
In Picasa (A Photo Managing Software) I can't login to upload photos to a web album
When I try to sync the time server, it can't connect
When I plug in new hardware, Window's can't connect to find drivers
And Lastly, when using Windows Update, I get an infamous '80072EE2' error

So, in short, SOME of my programs keep having their outgoing requests or connections blocked. My internet works fine. When I play games it connects just fine. When I use and IM client it works fine. But for these programs...not so much.

And the worst thing about it is that it's effecting more programs. Picasa and Twhirl we're working last week shortly after I installed Windows 7

Anyways, I've tried a bunch of stuff already:
Disabling Windows Firewall, Enabling it with the specific programs allowed through, disabling anitvirus in addtion to firewall, switich the firewall programs, telling IE to auto-detect my proxy (I have none), going thru cmd prompt and resetting the proxy (still don't have one), system restoring to when I first installed the beta (when Twhirl and Picasa worked) only to have them stop working

Oh, and I connect to my network wirelessly through a Linksys USB-G receiver, which gets the signal from a Netgear router, which is hooked up to a cable modem

So, to say the least, I'm stumped. And if ANYONE could help me out here, it would be AMAZING. So, thanks in advance for any and all suggestions, help, tips, etc.

_AMuench

Which AV/Firewall software are you using at the moment? Anything other than the default MS firewall?

If it worked initially then it sounds like it's some sort of software app blocking it - just a case of finding out which one

Recently purchased HP 64bit PC, had Vista preinstalled. DId upgrade to Windows 7. Loaded some of my software - Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop, itunes etc. Initially Lightroom was able to check via the internet for updates, but then could not. itunes cannot connect to itunes store. NOrton Internet Security cannpt connect to its server.
Tried turnign off Windows Firewall, changing firewall settings to allow programs to comm via internet, used advance settings to open port for program. Nothing worked.
ANy suggestions?

It does sound like some program is running in the background preventing it from working, but if it worked initially... what programs were installed since then?

You might try uninstalling the device drivers for your wireless card and reinstalling those to see if that might do it, just make sure you downloaded them first or have another machine you can grab them on.