Windows Problem

[Crombie]

Just got home, and an issue that has been slowly creeping up the last few days has made a turn for the worst. Basically Eudora does not recognize that I am connected to the Internet, Windows Media Player says I have no network connection, and randomly when I click links I get the 'You are working offline' message from Internet Explorer. This started a couple of days ago when I rearranged my computer area, and hooked another computer to my router. The only thing is that I have returned the network to the way it was, and still I am having these issues. My setup at home is:Dlink 704p Rev B routerWindows 2000 with all critical updates and required patches installedABit KX7-333R Motherboard1.4MHz 266FSB TBirdSoundblaster Live! 5.1 OEMMSI GeForce3 Ti200-128MB VIVOLG GCE-8160B CD-RW1GB RamMicrosoft Intellimouse Explorer V1.0Netgear FA310TX Ethernet AdapterAll driver's are the most recent, and up to date. The only item that remains from the new setup is a 'network' printer I had hooked to the router. The other computer is a random P166 with 16MB RAM, a Voodoo 16MB video card, no sound, and an ancient Ethernet card, but that is now not hooked up to the network. Any thoughts on what I can try to get these items to work correctly? Most of what I have read online in the newsgroups for Eudora is to just 'work around' the issues by clicking on 'Work Online', etc. One thing I did notice is that I no longer have IE showing in Add/Remove to be able to try to 'repair' it. Forgot to mention that I also use Dimension 4, and it no longer will connect to the Internet on bootup in order to download the time sync. The message it gives is:'Waiting until online (requires IE4+)'.Dave

Edited May 28, 2004 by Crombie

[teacher]

Did you look under the section to the side for windows programs for add and remove? It usually is there instead of with the other programs.I had problems with intermittent connections once and when I replaced a Cat5 cable they went away. I was always needing to go to my network connections and right clicking there to do a repair. Is that what you meant by the Add/Remove ?Julia

[Crombie]

I think I am going to throw in the towel on this one tonight. I finally just ran the setup for IE6 again (reinstall all components), and still the same issue is occurring. Since the company that administers my Internet service is on strike I am hoping it is just a temporary glitch on their end. The next thing I may try tomorrow is to uninstall Service Pack 2, and then try to reinstall IE6 again.Basically since I got home today (around 5pm AST) none of my software is working as expected, and I have been fighting this thing for hours. I cannot see a failure occurring in all of the 5 CAT5 cables I have, but just in that 'lightning hit me' kind of case I am going to pick up new ones tomorrow. Not only that, but if I reinstall Windows for it to not work I may just accidentally put my monitor through the wall... and I do not think my landlord would be happy about that one! So maybe if I just sleep on this one it will magically be fixed tomorrow. ;)DaveEdit: Just got a brain wave to determine if something is borked in my W2K install. Rebooted to my WinME (which I rarely use), and all programs work perfectly as expected. Somehow something must have happened to my Win2K networking setup so I guess I will be wiping that tomorrow, and reinstalling it

[Ed_P]

Do you have IPCONFIG with W2K? If so try doing a /RELEASE followed by a /RENEW. You may simply need to reset your IP adresses.After fighting with a network problem on an XP pc last week the solution was to turn the pc completely off, wait a minute, turn it back on and boot. Changing cables, rebooting, resetting router, resetting cable modem, etc had no effect until the pc was turned completely off.

[Rons]

Another thought..............Try a direct connect to your modem without the router. See if you can then connect.Let us know what happens.

[Crombie]

Actually this morning I had another brainwave, check the Event Logs! I had an event there 20082 Cannot reload lana 9 (the details are in the data). Not only that, but this error started at the same time I noticed 'oddities' in my Internet connection. Hoping to resolve it by reinstalling my network card, I did the uninstall/reboot. And my card came up with an 'unknown' designation, and I reinstalled with the drivers I have. The driver did not seem to work so I rebooted, and it had a yellow exclamation. Now the system will not even let me uninstall it as it says 'This item is required for windows boot-up, and cannot be uninstalled' or some such message. When I attempt to reinstall the driver it says 'The INF file was not in the format expected, and the driver did not install'. I am really leaning towards taking the hammer to my install. Especially since I am thinking of picking up a new hard drive this weekend anyways.Dave

[Crombie]

I was wondering if maybe it were some spyware, or perhaps a new virus that slipped in. Below is a listing of my HijackThis logfile in case this helps anyone. Now I did notice another Event occur:EventID: 20169 Unable to contact DHCP server. The Automatic private IP address 169.254.235.106 will be assigned to dial-in clients. Clients may be unable to access resources on the network.Which is odd since I then went to check my IPConfig, and it showed my system setup with the correct IP. Since it keeps referring to 'RemoteAccess' is there perhaps a possibility that someone has hacked my system, and set themselves up to login remotely without me being able to see a new client? If so, how do I turn of this function? Interesting thing is that on connecting to IE this morning it 'reset' things so that Dimension 4 was able to get on. I do not expect this to be permanent though, as the same thing has been happening since my first error messages on the 25th of May.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7Scan saved at 07:41:34, on 05/29/2004Platform: Windows 2000 SP4 (WinNT 5.00.2195)MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)Running processes:D:\WINNT\System32\smss.exeD:\WINNT\system32\winlogon.exeD:\WINNT\system32\services.exeD:\WINNT\system32\lsass.exeD:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exeD:\WINNT\system32\spoolsv.exeD:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exeD:\WINNT\system32\nvsvc32.exeD:\WINNT\system32\regsvc.exeD:\WINNT\system32\MSTask.exeD:\WINNT\System32\WBEM\WinMgmt.exeD:\WINNT\system32\mspmspsv.exeD:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exeD:\WINNT\Explorer.EXED:\WINNT\system32\CTHELPER.EXED:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exeC:\Program Files\Hotmail Popper\hotpop.exeD:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXED:\WINNT\system32\mmc.exeF:\Downloaded\hijackthis\HijackThis.exeR0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = file:///E:/Install%20Files/Back%20Up%20Settings/bookmark.htmN1 - Netscape 4: user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", ""); (D:\Program Files\Netscape\Users\default\prefs.js)O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - D:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocxO2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - d:\winnt\googletoolbar2.dllO3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - D:\WINNT\system32\msdxm.ocxO3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - d:\winnt\googletoolbar2.dllO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Synchronization Manager] mobsync.exe /logonO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE D:\WINNT\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartupO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WINDVDPatch] CTHELPER.EXEO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] D:\WINNT\UpdReg.EXEO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Jet Detection] "D:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\PROGRAM\ADGJDet.exe"O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /installO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "G:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottimeO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Dimension4] C:\Program Files\D4\D4.exeO4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IntelliPoint] "D:\Program Files\Microsoft IntelliPoint\point32.exe"O4 - Startup: Hotmail Popper.lnk = C:\Program Files\Hotmail Popper\hotpop.exeO4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = D:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\OSA9.EXEO8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://d:\winnt\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.htmlO8 - Extra context menu item: Backward &Links - res://d:\winnt\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.htmlO8 - Extra context menu item: Cac&hed Snapshot of Page - res://d:\winnt\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.htmlO8 - Extra context menu item: Si&milar Pages - res://d:\winnt\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.htmlO8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://d:\winnt\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.htmlO9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger (HKLM)O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM)O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM)O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2e529727a6ef04/housecall.antivirus.com/housecall/xscan53.cab

[teacher]

You can always try to restore to a point before you had the error. At work that has saved me many hours of trouble shooting on various comptuers by simply restoring. Then again, students are infamous for messing things up when their teachers are not looking. Julia

[Gus K]

Although your HiJack log looks clean, have you run Ad-aware?

[Ed_P]

The Automatic private IP address 169.254.235.106 will be assigned

my IPConfig, and it showed my system setup with the correct IP

If the two IP address are the same you should be able to connect. If however they are not the same, and since you have a router it's unlikely they are, that is the problem. 169.254.x.x is MS's default addressing it assigns when it can't reach a DHCP server. Your router's addressing is most likely in the 192.168.x.x range.Have you turned the pc totally off, not just go into Suspend mode?Have you released the IP config using IPCONFIG and then renewed it? Did the address change?Have you tried connecting the pc directly to the cable modem? Were you able to get online then?Course at this point since you've uninstalled the NIC and can't get it reinstalled it may not matter. You may be getting close to an FDISK/reinstall which is one step away from taking it to a repair shop. On the bright side, you don't have to worry about remote access or hackers or spyware or even viruses at this point. If you can't get online, they can't get you.

[Crombie]

Sorry, forgot to update before I left on errands today. I backed out the driver to the Microsoft 'signed' version which is two years older than the most recent at Netgears site, and got that network card working. Ad-aware only found cookies on my computer, and Spybot got the rest of the cookies. I also should have been more clear. I can access the Internet, it is just sporadic. Sometimes I get that 'You are working offline', and it takes three or four tries to do something, and other time's it is as though I have a completely normal internet connection. Until IE works 'properly' without the Working Offline notice I cannot get any updates for Dimension 4, HTML does not display in Eudora - when I turn off the Microsoft Viewer it still refuses to show even the pictures linked within the HTML, in Xnews I cannot double click a link to go to the page in IE, and I cannot access any Windows Media Player content like radio stations or streamed trailers.And also to answer your questions I have used IPConfig to release/renew, and the boss usually forces me to turn off the computer every night (a complete shutdown) and I never use suspend. I have never actually seen any of my cards use the 169.xx.xx.xx address, and this computer is always 192.168.0.198 on my private network. Since I am on a PPPoE service I have not tried a direct connection yet, as I have to dig out the client the service provides. I would go back to cable, but right now I have a sweet package deal that provides the only unlimited evenings and weekends plan in our area - the only catch is I have to have Internet to have that deal.The only reason I did not try the direct connect last night is this same setup works perfectly in my WinME partition, and that is why I am thinking it is some configuration issues in the W2K networking side of things and not the router side of things. The only items different in my computer since the issue occurred are:- the install of a 'Print Server' software from DLink, which I did not configure as their website provides instructions for the next item - uninstalled- the setup of a TCP/IP printer port - deleted- unregistering Flash/Shockwave as per Fred Langa's newsletter the last (or maybe Sunday's?) issue - reinstalled- Adding the new computer to the network while switching some cables around - unplugged, cables returned to same setupPlus last night I took my computer completely apart and cleaned it up. The setup of my card's etc have been the same for 3 years with no prior issues. I am beginning to lean towards the first thing I did as being the issue that is causing my problems. The reason I think this is I am uncertain how the 'Print Server' software reacted to not being completely configured. I believe the fact that WinME works perfectly with the same Eudora folder (on a shared partition), the same Xnews files, the same Dimension 4 files, and I can use WMP content has to mean it is in Win2K somewhere. I guess this will teach me about backing things up before installing new software like the printer server.I will say that other than clean installing Windows ME this has been the most frustrating problem to pin down since everything I know tells me it is something simple I am forgetting to try. If I knew more about how the Services worked within W2K I could perhaps figure out which one I might need to wipe/re-install, but that is just above my knowledge level right now. Hopefully all goes well after I move the few files I have on this drive over, and wipe the drive/reinstall W2K.Dave

[Ed_P]

I am thinking it is some configuration issues in the W2K networking side of things

Certainly high on the list at this point since you've powered the pc off and on and the problem still exists. But you say the problem comes and goes so maybe if WinME was up longer it would have run into it also?Have you uninstalled TCP/IP and reinstalled it? If you have multiple pcs in the house can you swap the network cables for awhile. If the problem is resolved on your pc and starts on the other I think you can safely assume it's a bad cable/plug problem. It could be just bad enough to not totally fail but to cause the pc to go into extended error recovery.

I guess this will teach me about backing things up before installing new software

But look at all the time you saved by waiting to do the backup until after the installs. Yeah, been there, done that. MANY of times.

[Crombie]

Update:You know, I just was so wiped out on Sunday about having to blow the afternoon reinstalling Windows that I decided to just let it sit until this coming weekend. I just basically watched movies, and pretended nothing was wrong with my computer.... and it worked!I can only assume this was some issue with my ISP as all symptoms have disappeared, and all is 'back to normal'. I still plan to wipe/reinstall, but at least I know it no longer seems to be broken. Now I really need to find my Ghost boot disk, and get things properly organized for a real backup.Dave

[Ed_P]

Now I really need to find my Ghost boot disk, and get things properly organized for a real backup.

No!You have a working system now, back it up now. Then make your changes and etc and if it still works after you get things organized back it up again.Many of us have done exactly what you're thinking only to screw things ups in the clean up process before the back up then kicked ourselves for not doing a backup 1st. Take the advice of us who have "been there, done that" and do a backup now. PS Thanks for the update.