Dialin Fixes

Windows 98/ME

First of all, before looking for any problems, check to see if any firewall software is running.  Disable this software and see if the problem still exists, if not, try changing the settings.

Modem dials, authenticates and then seems to stop any transmission of data. When attempting to browse any web pages, you receive the error: 'Page cannot be displayed'. When trying to send/receive email,  'Server not found' and when pinging web name addresses and IP addresses, the error 'unknown host'.

• Go to Control Panel | Internet Options | Connections | LAN Settings and clear all of the boxes.

• Un-install ICS (if installed).
• Un-install Dial-Up Networking.  Do NOT reboot.
• Delete registry key - 

• Re-install Dial-Up Networking.
• Reboot
  

Windows 98/ME

Assuming that your TCP/IP settings are configured correctly, the issue is often caused by the installation and/or uninstallation of 3rd party internet-related programs such as spyware or firewall software.  However, sometimes there seems to be no obvious cause.

• Make sure you have your OS CD or the correct .CAB files available for the particular version of 98/98se/ME.
• Remove all instances of TCP/IP from Network Properties. Do not reboot when prompted to do so.
• Go to Control Panel | Add/Remove programs | Windows Setup/Communications and uncheck Dial Up Networking
• Run regedit and delete the following registry keys:

• Reboot.
• Reinstall Dial Up networking.
• Reboot.
  

If you insist on running a Kazaa peer-to-peer client, I recommend kazaalite in preference . Look for 'clean' P2P clients with the spyware  removed.

• Disable the network connection and Remove the Network card physically from the machine [if possible] - this gets rid the reference to it in TCP/IP properties. Under the connection's network properties select TCP/IP - Uninstall. You may have to remove some dependant services if warned. These other dependant services such as Simple TCP/IP services and Print Services for UNIX  can be removed under Add/Remove Programs | Windows Components
  
• ·Back up the registry (export it) or set a system restore point... then delete only the following keys -
  

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\WinSock2

• Reboot
• Reinstall  TCP/IP in the connection's properties by selecting Install | protocol |TCP/IP
• Enable the network connection.

If new.net is installed on the system it can block DNS lookups resulting in a connection that will not allow browsing.

Programs such as these often install the new.net –

• Go!Zilla
• BearShare
• MP3.com
• iMesh
• Babylon
• Cydoor
• Webshots
• gDivx

If any of these programs are present under Add/Remove programs it is likely that new.net may also be installed. To resolve connectivity issues caused by new.net, you must first completely remove new.net from the system and after this you would perform the winsock2 fix.

Windows 9x/ME

• Remove new.net under Add/Remove Programs. Failing this, search for newdot*.* on the system and remove any matching files .
• Delete \Program Files\new.net. 
• After removing the new.net files reboot then perform the winsock2 fix: Run regedit and delete the following registry key:

Note: this step will not work for Windows NT/2000/XP. 

• Add/Remove programs | Windows Setup | Dial Up Networking.  Uncheck it to remove – OK and allow the requested reboot.
• Add/Remove programs | Windows Setup | Dial Up Networking.    Check it to reinstate – OK and allow the requested reboot.

For more info on Spyware removal check the Counter-exploitation site:

http://www.cexx.org/main.htm

•  Using software to help fix the problem.

http://www.bu.edu/pcsc/internetaccess/winsock2fix.html

http://digital-solutions.co.uk/lavasoft/whndnfix.zip

Windows XP

http://www.majorgeeks.com/WinSock_XP_Fix_d4372.html

Windows 9x/ME/2000/XP

http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm

New.Net and SaveNow removal instructions available from Microsoft's Knowledge Base:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q302463&

• Winsock and TCP/IP may be repaired if you have the system disks.

Windows 9x/ME

Note: Make sure these .cab files

win.com 05-11-98        win98-1        win98_21.cab to win98_69.cab

win.com 04-23-99        win98 SE       win98_21.cab to win98_74.cab

win.com 06-08-00        winME          win_08.cab   to win_22.cab

• Check which network components are installed in the stack and any settings that may need to be reinstated after rebuild.
• In Windows Setup, remove all communications components after noting those needed to be reinstated after rebuild. Apply the changes but do not restart when prompted.
• Recheck which network components are installed in the stack. Remove all software components – protocols, clients or services, but retain any hardware adapters that are present, such as NICs, IR ports, TV/Data Adapters, and NDIS 1394 cards unless you are prepared to reinstall these. The dialup adapter should be uninstalled.
• Run regedit and backup the registry before deleting the following registry keys:

• Reboot.
•  In Windows Setup, reinstate all communications components previously noted. Apply the changes but do not restart when prompted.
• Reinstate network components in the stack. Install the required software components – protocols, clients or services and check their settings and bindings.
• Reboot. Windows will require access to the .cab files listed above.

If Zone Alarm is suspected of causing connectivity problems, attempt to remove it from the system completely. If Zone Alarm will not gracefully dismount under Add/Remove Programs, try the following –

• Reboot into safemode
• Search the system for vsdata95.vxd Note [ vsdata95.vxd is installed by zone alarm and is not a native windows system file. Removing it is not harmful to your OS.]
• Run regedit and backup the registry before deleting any registry keys that match a search on the string – “vsdata95.vxd”
• Reboot