You will ALL be surprised how much AntiVirus/Firewalls interrupts things. I was recently running BitDefender 2014, I added an exception, to the antivirius AND the firewall... STILL after hours and hours and HOURS (15+) I was unable to get HB to work. It crashed, it was unstable, things just weren't right. So what did I do? Decided to reinstall Windows 8.1, installed BitDefender again, still broke. So I know it was the Antivirus/Firewall at this point 100%. So I decided to remove BitDefender... Bam... Things just worked.
Am I saying remove your AntiVirus?
No. Could you prove its your Antivirus/Firewall?
Yes.
Start off by performing a full scan with multiple antivirus-ware tools such as MalwareBytes, your normal antivirus and then maybe some online scanner app also. Then DO NOT open your browser to any website but HB. Then install HB all over. Test it.
You may be surprised.
Also... NO... You shouldn't HAVE to uninstall as a whole to run HB, but I believe that this is something to do with how the .net or C++ works and it may be the heart of the issue at hand. Maybe the devs can ring in on this?
Because going on the internet without AntiVirus and Firewall is like going to a dark underpass, picking up a prostitute, having sex with her unprotected and then wondering why you caught aids or hiv or an sti/std... It's not smart, nor safe.