So, OK I had my hosting provider install Helicon ISAPI Rewrite 3 on the 45 day trial basis and if it works I will purchase the license. What configuration do you suggest? And also in what documentation are there general hints?

Hello,

ARTIO JoomSEF Documentation - configuring IIS

With Helicon ISAPI Rewrite 3, you do not need to do much. The rules in .htaccess stay. Just you need to move them to Helicon's global configuration file.
As you have free version that does not support directory based configurations (see more details in Helicon's documentation) you need to add Rule that will check the site host to prevent conflicting with other sites that might be installed at the server.
So basically you need to add rule RewriteCond {%SERVER_HOST%} yoursite-domain.com as a first condition to each block of Rewrite rules from original .htaccess.

OK, I have this on my htaccess.txt:

##
# @version $Id: htaccess.txt 5973 2006-12-11 01:26:33Z robs $
# @package Joomla
# @copyright Copyright (C) 2005 Open Source Matters. All rights reserved.
# @license www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU/GPL
# Joomla! is Free Software
##


#####################################################
# READ THIS COMPLETELY IF YOU CHOOSE TO USE THIS FILE
#
# The line just below this section: 'Options +FollowSymLinks' may cause problems
# with some server configurations. It is required for use of mod_rewrite, but may already
# be set by your server administrator in a way that dissallows changing it in
# your .htaccess file. If using it causes your server to error out, comment it out (add # to
# beginning of line), reload your site in your browser and test your sef url's. If they work,
# it has been set by your server administrator and you do not need it set here.
#
# Only use one of the two SEF sections that follow. Lines that can be uncommented
# (and thus used) have only one #. Lines with two #'s should not be uncommented
# In the section that you don't use, all lines should start with #
#
# For Standard SEF, use the standard SEF section. You can comment out
# all of the RewriteCond lines and reduce your server's load if you
# don't have directories in your root named 'component' or 'content'
#
# If you are using a 3rd Party SEF or the Core SEF solution
# uncomment all of the lines in the '3rd Party or Core SEF' section
#
#####################################################

##### SOLVING PROBLEMS WITH COMPONENT URL's that don't work #####
# SPECIAL NOTE FOR SMF USERS WHEN SMF IS INTEGRATED AND BRIDGED
# OR ANY SITUATION WHERE A COMPONENT's URL's AREN't WORKING
#
# In both the 'Standard SEF', and '3rd Party or Core SEF' sections the line:
# RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/component/option,com) [NC,OR] ##optional - see notes##
# May need to be uncommented. If you are running your Joomla!/Mambo from
# a subdirectory the name of the subdirectory will need to be inserted into this
# line. For example, if your Joomla!/Mambo is in a subdirectory called '/test/',
# change this:
# RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/component/option,com) [NC,OR] ##optional - see notes##
# to this:
# RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/test/component/option,com) [NC,OR] ##optional - see notes##
#
#####################################################


## Can be commented out if causes errors, see notes above.
#Options +FollowSymLinks

#
# mod_rewrite in use

RewriteEngine On


# Uncomment following line if your webserver's URL
# is not directly related to physical file paths.
# Update Your Joomla!/MamboDirectory (just / for root)

# RewriteBase /


########## Begin - Joomla! core SEF Section
############# Use this section if using ONLY Joomla! core SEF
## ALL (RewriteCond) lines in this section are only required if you actually
## have directories named 'content' or 'component' on your server
## If you do not have directories with these names, comment them out.
#
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/component/option,com) [NC,OR] ##optional - see notes##
#RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (/|\.htm|\.php|\.html|/[^.]*)$ [NC]
#RewriteRule ^(content/|component/) index.php
#
########## End - Joomla! core SEF Section



########## Begin - 3rd Party SEF Section
############# Use this section if you are using a 3rd party (Non Joomla! core) SEF extension - e.g. OpenSEF, 404_SEF, 404SEFx, SEF Advance, etc
#
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} ^(/component/option,com) [NC,OR] ##optional - see notes##
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} (/|\.htm|\.php|\.html|/[^.]*)$ [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule (.*) index.php
#
########## End - 3rd Party SEF Section



########## Begin - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits
## If you experience problems on your site block out the operations listed below
## This attempts to block the most common type of exploit `attempts` to Joomla!
#
# Block out any script trying to set a mosConfig value through the URL
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} mosConfig_[a-zA-Z_]{1,21}(=|\%3D) [OR]
# Block out any script trying to base64_encode crap to send via URL
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} base64_encode.*\(.*\) [OR]
# Block out any script that includes a <script> tag in URL
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} (\<|%3C).*script.*(\>|%3E) [NC,OR]
# Block out any script trying to set a PHP GLOBALS variable via URL
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} GLOBALS(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2}) [OR]
# Block out any script trying to modify a _REQUEST variable via URL
RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} _REQUEST(=|\[|\%[0-9A-Z]{0,2})
# Send all blocked request to homepage with 403 Forbidden error!
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ index.php [F,L]
#
########## End - Rewrite rules to block out some common exploits

And some urls on my site went from this:
209.216.234.39/index.php?option=com_cont...;id=16&Itemid=28

to this:
209.216.234.39/associations.html

But, I still get the page cannot be found error.

I really need help on this my boss is going nuts with this we have been on it for 3 weeks now.

PLEASE HELP.

There is not much more to write than I already did.
If you need professional help, check
JoomSEF Installation on IIS service.