Active x install doesn't happen

I have bought a HP Pavillion DV2700 laptop since i bought it i have not been able to update it, nor validate my os through microsoft when i want to download something. I have searched why, and came across windows diag. It tells me active x control is not there and it failed the check. In fact it tells me to say yes to the active x bar that appears or adjust my security settings to alow it... Problem is, it doesn't appear and my settings say they are allowed. There is no gold bar saying i need active x the same as when i try to validate it thrugh microsoft t download things. there is no gold bar telling me that i can't do it either.
I have also tried using Mozilla because it doesn't require active x, but the WGA plugin doesn't install, i follow the instructions and wait for the download box to appear... it doesn't, it's as if neither of them even exist.
Any help in this would be most appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
Tash

Also i have continued trawling through the forums i can find about vista, it appears that a few other people have had the same problem as i have, ad either no one has had a solution or any advice to give so there are no replies, or the answers they have been given don't apply to me because that hasn't fixed the problem either.
I have AVG Free installed, but that is it. Windows defewnder isturned off atm because it can't update so it can't do anygood.
Firefox doen't work either because i can't install the WGA plugin as everywhere i try to it doesn't exist anymore... the page has been moved or no longer exists is teh message i get. also the plugin is only supported for XP not vista.