Windows 7: Trusted site blocking

I use Mozilla firefox and IE8 and with windows 7 I have had difficulty getting the system to recoginze the trusted sites that I enter, for example, when using AOL mail, I have entered the web address for AOL mail in the "trusted site" category multiple times but when I go back to the site it still tells me that it cant verify the security certificate and that I need to manually exempt the security, it also wont let me check the box that says "permanently exempt this site" (the box is gray and not activated) any thoughts?

Can be a virus
Run an antivirus scan
Download and run malwarebytes

This is a common sign of a virus

I sincerely hope not, I took the computer out of the box on wednesday so that would mean that it came with a pre loaded virus from dell

In that case you are probably ok.
To protect you the first advice is to check for virus. Since you are ok
Read this
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968089

Check the date on the security certificate. Sometimes websites forget to renew so it would be shown as expired. Even though I don't have an account at aol, I went to the aol.com "mail" link and it took me to a secure web page with an up-to-date valid certificate from Verisign:
https://my.screenname.aol.com/_cqr/l...f159&locale=us Perhaps you should start from the aol home page?