MoreComputer Trouble... (kinda long)

The computer at work again.

The last time it was in the shop, it got a whole new motherboard, processor and a bunch of other stuff.

The DSL works a LOT better with this MB.

I have highly rated Avast Antivirous, AddAware 6.0, and Spybot 1.3 on the unit and scan often.

We have been having dropped service on the computer. The DSL connection checks out good, but no web, email, or Agent access to the net.

I saw a commercial for Stopsign.com the other night, and went there and got their scanner.

It says I've got stuff that non of the current things can find.

Among them are a couple worms, and lotsa spyware.

Is this thing (Stopsign) blowing smoke up my AR$E or is it really bad?

What else can I do?

I have a stomach ache over this stuff!

http://www.pestpatrol.com/PestInfo/S/StopSign.asp
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark%2C8078326~mode=flat

I use Spy Sweeper.

Playboy Joe Shmoe,

For awhile Adaware was identifying files from Spybot Search and Destroy as trojans (that has since been resolved).

Also, it depends on how you have those other programs configured. Are they configured to actively scan for trojans and spyware while you surf or do they have specific times when they scan your system.


What I am about to say is in no way meant to offend you. But it does seem that you have an inordinate amount of problems with your computer. In fact, you have more problems than most people I know. In any case, most of it seems to be software related. Unfortunately, that software was put there by you. In my experience most people would be well served by having one of each of the following programs, not several ..... just one.
Please note that running multiple programs that do the same thing, may create more problems than they solve. This is particularly true of security software. In addition, my advice is to stay away from anti-crash, fix your computer after a problem, protect you from yourself type of programs. Though some folks really like them, they cause more problems than nearly any other type of software.

1) a reputable anti-virus program.
2) a reputable firewall program (though depending on your situation may or may not be necessary).
3) a reputable spyware detector.
4) a non-Microsoft e-mail program.
5) a non-Microsoft browser.

Please note that I am not anti-Microsoft. I just feel that it's unreasonable to expect people to continually have to download (mostly huge) security patches for their products.

These items generally help keep things running pretty well and limit problems. In addition, don't open attachments unless you are absolutely, positively, 100% sure it is not a virus, trojan etc. It doesn't matter who it's from, an attchment is an attachment, is an attachment, which means possible trouble for you.

When in doubt, do not automatically throw more software at a problem. It might be as simple as a reboot. Sorry I cannot be of more help, but there could many, many different reasons for your DSL throughput to stop. Could be your firewall, network, drivers, ISP, etc, and may not be a virus or trojan. Start by troubleshooting everything else first before getting more software.

Mike

This computer has been one form of HE77 or another since the day it was delivered by Gateway.

I don't think I can get around using IE and OE because I'm not the only one who uses it.

If I could identify half the crap this machine has on it, especially in the registry, it would be so much better.

I followed the instructions for removing what existed of StopSign.

The failure of internet connection is CERTAINLY a software issue.

I STILL don't know what to do about it!

I would format your HDD & reinstall windows & start fresh!

[ QUOTE ]
naromtap said:
I would format your HDD & reinstall windows & start fresh!

[/ QUOTE ]

Drastic step, but I might agree. I have multiple clean images of my system drive, so I can go back to a nice clean install anytime I want. I have yet to use them with my newest system, but it's nice to know I have them if needed.

I also agree with Mike, too many cooks... I would start by uninstalling unused software, unloading unused and unknown running programs and start testing with the bare minimum running. I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time on it before I would scrap it and start over, keeping clean backups.

Unfortunately, without knowing your system it's hard to guess the issues.

With my DSL, if the temp. gets hot, the modem (external) will overheat and will not connect to the internet, or it will be really slow.

My connection during these hot (90 degrees +) days is super slow. At night, when it's cool, it works much better.

ANother theory: maybe you are too far away from your phone companie's switch for your DSL to wrok reliably. The farther away from the Switch, the worse DSL gets.

--dan

I would add keep your OS up-to-date for all the patches.

Larry

Playboy, can you give us more information about your system?

Maybe if everyone thinks together, we can solve your problem.

Check your hosts file. Several spyware-type programs miss this important point. Hosts is in c:\windows for 95/98/me and in c:\<your windows directory>\system32\drivers\etc

If you find anything in there other than comments and a line about "localhost" delete it. Might wanna make a backup of the file beforehand though.

Hosts file can be used to disable/redirect internet traffic. You try to go to symantec for a virus update and it lands you at porncity.com.

Also, if you DO find hosts modification and fix it. Check it again after a reboot. It should still be clean. If not then you're missing something. Coolwebsearch does this among others. Will not kick you off the net, but it will make your life miserable.

Also, I have seen several viruses lately that "overload" your dns with too many requests as they attempt to spread. This shuts down your internet. Clean virus off..... net works fine.

Is this computer networked? Shutdown/unplug the other computers. You're making troubleshooting a LOT harder if you don't.

It is a stand alone box, hooked to internet through a SpeedStream 5260 External Modem.

Windows XP is running, and it auto updates a lot. I tried to manually update it the other day and there were no new critical updates at that point.

I don't know what other info y'all want?

When it loses internet, it has been found to be able to ping a host quite well. So it is inside this box where the trouble comes from. When I connected just a while ago, the Avast Database updated.

When I go to reboot, I get a quickie error that something called IPCONFIG isn't working properly. When I search for IPCONFIG, I see 4 items, two of which are in "old data" and one of which I find to be suspicious of.

Don't know what else to say. Not sure I could reinstall XP after a wipe anyway. Have to look around for the disks...

IPCONFIG is a DOS utility that shows your IP address, among other things. I would say if IPCONFIG is not working, then you may have more serious issues. You can try it, BTW, by going to a DOS prompt and running IPCONFIG.

If no viruses are present, you might be able to just install/repair the OS on top of you existing install and fix the corrupted files. However, you may have no choice but to re-install the OS.

How much software (that's used) do you have loaded on your machine? How long would it take to reload everything? It would take me a week to reload all my software. But other people don't have much, and could be reloaded in a few hours. If you don't use a lot of software, it may pay you to just re-install, also assuming you can find the XP disks.

I found the disk, but no documentation/product key.

I don't think I have what it takes to do that anyway.

I'm kind of glad I have an old Win95 dinasour at home. It doesn't have a speck of trouble compared to this monster!

Win95... ah, the good old days.

Like the old saying, if it ain't broke...

Actually I've had very little trouble with my latest XP system. It's surprising to me because I have so much crap loaded on it.

[ QUOTE ]
PlayboyJoeShmoe said:
I found the disk, but no documentation/product key.

I don't think I have what it takes to do that anyway.

I'm kind of glad I have an old Win95 dinasour at home. It doesn't have a speck of trouble compared to this monster!

[/ QUOTE ]

The product key is buried in the registry. Here's a neat application that will find it for you.

If you can ping but not connect using names you have a DNS problem.

IPCONFIG is not something that normally runs on boot. It sounds like you have a little bugger in there somewhere that is trying to run that utility. One of the things IPCONFIG does is allows setting the TCP configuration including DNS servers, Primary and Secondary. These settings are provided by your ISP if you are using DHCP - Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol - and the only reason for IPCONFIG to be run might be to look at the settings...unless you really know what you want to change.

You might want to check to see what is run and loaded at startup and make sure that only the things you specify are run. Some trojans run at system startup and it almost sounds like you have something that calls IPCONFIG and changes settings.

You need to get the proper DNS server settings for your ISP then open a command window and run ipconfig /all

This will show you your current network settings. Pay attention to the DNS sever settings. If they are not set or are not correct then you have a handle on your problem and can start to address it.

Okay.

I was over there earlier today.

I managed to find the start folder.

I found IPCONFIG, Virtual Bouncer, and EAAAnthology or something similar named. I could not make them go away from how/where I found them. I searched the 'puter for "virtual" and it got a hit. But trying to delete it said it would only take the link off the desktop (where I don't think I saw it!).

How do I go deeper and get rid of the damn garbage?

Gotta love this old slow 'puter I'm typing this on!!!

You should delete IPCONFIG from the Startup folder. It has no business there.

Virtual Bouncer:
LINK

EAnthology:
LINK

Okay.

Virtual Bouncer was a link to something I could not find.

I found two places where IPConfig were in the processes running, and ended them.

Currently, there are 30 processes running, and none of them are IPC or VB.

Let me check the start menu...

Hmm, Eanthology and Ipconfig are both there. No sign of VB.

Let me click the link to eanthology again...

LOOKS like I got it all...

Time to reboot again and see what shows up.

Eanth and IPconfig STILL show up.

I can't win!