Windows 7-explorer.exe using 100% CPU + Other Serious Issues

Hello, really looking to get some advice. I've been looking everywhere regarding my problem--most answers for this topic come up for windows XP...and though I've tried following the answers posted, nothing seems to work. The last partial success I had (briefly) was going in to regedit, looking at the image file execution, and deleting iexporer.exe (as posted here) https://ccm.net/forum/affich-9082-explorer-exe-corrupted-or-infected#q=windows+7+explorer.exe+using+100%25+cpu&cur=2&url=%2F

The CPU doesn't spike when I am running anything, in fact it is like that when I have closed every possible thing I can think of and the computer is just sitting here (which is why I'm having problems finding an answer). I think that my problems with this may stem from something else.

Recently, I had a problem with a worm/trojan that had been hiding in the computer for possibly a few years and I didn't even notice. In fact, on my previous computer I was told the program was essential for windows. The file was called dllhost32*

About a week ago, I was in the middle of gaming, and just after I closed out the game, my computer started to slow down horribly. I went in to task manager and found that dllhost32* had 20+ instances of itself...even clicking 'end process/tree' did nothing. I ran malware bytes, microsoft security essentials, downloaded and ran AVG, nothing would catch it. I googled it, and found out what it was exactly. I ended up having to search for it manually, and ended up finding dllhost32* hidden away in some folders: system32 (c:\windows), syswow64(c:\windows), amd64_microsoft-windows-com-surrogate_31bf3856ad364e35_6.6.7600.16385_none_a018e05d0d33081d(C:\windows\winsxs) ,

and additionally- I found a file named dllhst3g in the same folders with the addition to this one: x86_microsoft-windows-com-surrogate-31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_43fa44d954d596e7(c:\windows\winsxs).

Needless to say it was a VERY painstaking process, since all of these files are 'owned' by 'trusted installer'....so in safe mode I had to 'own' each of them to delete them.

Everything should have been alright, yes? Well after restarting everything seemed okay except I couldn't open picture files with Windows Picture Viewer. The files were there, and would open with everything else. My brother advised on a cmd scan that would fix the errors--which it did, and allowed me to use the program to open these pictures-except, it brought back dllhost32*!! I was having the same problems all over again. So, I deleted it all again, manually, ran some virus scans, etc.

So here I am now. CPU at 100% with explorer.exe

I've followed tons of advice, from looking for corrupt .lnk files on the desktop(and downloading something called remote target shortcut for UNC path http://blog.pcfreak.de/2010/06/08/release-the-explorer-handbrake/ -which did nothing) to using
security task manager, and even process explorer(which I never understood).

Doing a clean wipe and re-install of windows 7 isn't an option at the moment(i have windows 7 legally but not the install disc), and don't have anything to back- up my files on currently.

If anyone could help, I would really appreciate it!

Some additional notes:

-right click is slow to load.
-sometimes my open windows suddenly 'stop responding', and even my web browsers
- start menu items and application items(in folders) take a long time for their icon to show up
--cpu for explorer.exe is always at least 80-100%
-cpu is NOT used up in safe mode