Ntvdm.exe (3 instances, process manager 100% cpu usage)

I've already done as much research as I can on this topic, and have been working with this fully for 3 days.

Me and my girlfriend are experiencing the same problem. I know what ntvdm.exe does, and is used for, the only problem is I can't figure out what is causing the program to malfunction.

I've already tried deleting the file and having it restored. Same problem.
One interesting note is that when one of my external HDDs is not plugged in, I get an error about a file in PROGRAM~1\COMMN~1\1.EXE
PROGRAM~1\COMMN~1\2.EXE

I've tried scanning these files with an anti-virus (several of them) Spyware, Adware, Malware scans all clean.

When browsing that folder during those errors, I noticed 3 peculiar files.
1.exe
2.exe
verde
The last file has no extension.
After a couple of minutes, those files disappear. Sounds fishy, right?

Under safe mode I'm (not 100%) sure that I don't get this error. For whatever reason, even when I don't login to my Windows account, after 5 minutes or so whether I'm logged in or not, my computer begins to slow to a snail-riding-a-turtle crawl.

What else can this be? I am frustrated because this has to be the one thing I can't figure out!

Of course..