Posts by DMR

* Click on the "Run..." option in your Start menu.

* In the resulting "Open:" box, type "cmd" (omit the quotes) and hit Enter. This will bring up a DOS window.

* At the DOS prompt, type the following command and hit Enter:
ipconfig /release

I think I accidentally deleted the driver while fiddling with hijackthis... a good lesson to learn though, about not deleting something unless you know what it is.:cheesy:

Mmm... yeah, I'll buy that. :mrgreen:

Glad to hear that you got it working again, though; thanks for the update.

I have tried to convince him to patch his computer up with the updates, he says he can't for whatever reason.

Please try to find out exactly why he can't update the system. If he doesn't at least upgrade to the final Service Pack 1 rollup, the nastier variants of some of the infections currently out there "in the wild" will just walk right back in to his system.

As for the soundcard - It is creative, I can't find any removal instructions for it, and I'm getting mixed reviews for the file on my searches, some say its bad, some say it's a legit file used by Creative.

There is a valid and non-malicious Creative file named devldr32.exe, but as is often the case, there is also a malicious file which uses the same name in an attempt to avoid detection. We'll deal with that issue in the course of the general disinfecting.

OK, here we go... the system has several infections, so please be patient.

You will need to close/quit all web browser programs and disconnect from the Internet for much of the following, so you should print out these instructions or save them into a text file with Notepad.

* Use Norton's Live Update feature to install the most current Norton antivirus updates.

* Download the following utilities and save them to your desktop or another convenient folder:

ATF-Cleaner
ewido Anti-spyware (30-day trial version)

That's a fairly infected/infested system, and here's one of the biggest reasons- the following info in your HJT log's header shows that you are running a totally "virgin" version of Windows XP. That is, no Service Packs, Security/Bug Fixes, etc. have been installed.:

Platform: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

Running such an outdated, unpatched version of Windows, your system will almost certainly get reinfected in no time. You should use the Windows Update feature to bring your system up to a fully-patched version of Service Pack 1 (note that upgrading to Service Pack 2 on an infected system is not recommended!). Once you've done that, the info in your log's header should read as follows:
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Just FYI: The "PXE-E61" error message is coming from the "network boot" feature of the computer. The fact that the machine is even trying to attempt a network boot means that it has failed to boot via all other normal methods (from a hard drive, CD-ROM, USB drive, etc.).

* If you insert the Windows installation CD (assuming that the computer came with one), can you boot from that? If so, you might be able to launch a Repair installation of Windows from there.

No problem- It's easy to miss, especially if someone else has already recently "resurrected" the thread.
Thanks for understanding, though. :)

* I'm not sure why your computer is giving such trouble with the formatting of the posts, but at least your log is readable and complete now. :)

* Just FYI: the eAcceleration software really does not have a great track record in terms of effectiveness and reliability; there are much better antispyware programs available, and some of them are free. Links to some of our recommended antispyware utilities can be found here.

You will need to close/quit all web browser programs and disconnect from the Internet for much of the following, so you should print out these instructions or save them into a text file with Notepad.

* Open your Add/Remove Programs control panel and uninstall any and all software related to the following:

WeatherBug
Xuptiter / sqwire / OrbitExplorer
Ebates / Moe Money Maker

* Your log shows no indication of any installed antivirus software; this is a Bad Thing!! Please download and install the free AVG Antivirus program before proceeding with the rest of these steps.

* Download the following utilities:
ATF-Cleaner
ewido Anti-spyware (30-day trial version) - http://www.ewido.net/en/download/

To Install and Configure ewido:

• Close all other Applications and then run the ewido installer
• Select language click Ok
• Click I Agree
• Click next
• Click Install
• Click Finish
• Wait Ewido will open main screen automatically.
• Wait again a few minutes and Ewido Should Auto update …

Hi all,

When looking for threads in which to assist, please check the dates on the threads before posting to them. Threads such as this thread, which have been inactive for 6 months or more, are usually abandoned. The member who originally posted the problem is not likely to respond, so adding replies to such threads only distracts our efforts away from those who could currently use our help.

-

Your latest log is still a formatting nightmare, and it is incomplete as well. You need to open the log file with Windows Notepad, select all of the text in the log, and paste the contents here. If you do it through Notepad, it should post correctly.

Is there a special trick to getting things to post normally on here? Whenever I post, I have to back and insert a < p > to get a space break...I thought it was odd.

The log should paste properly if you open it with Windows Notepad as I indicated in my first post, but pasting directly from the HijackThis program itself or from a full word processing application like MS Word can create formatting problems.

Unfortunately, you've also only posted the first half of the log file, and we'll need to have the complete contents of log. Please see other threads in this forum for examples of what the full, properly formatted log should look like.

That is al.

Well hello, Al. Welcome ot DaniWeb. :mrgreen:

Let's go a level deeper- are any/all of the devices correctly detected in the BIOS's setup?
Reboot your computer, get into the BIOS setup utility, and have look around in there. Let us know what info/settings you find regarding your IDE devices and the floppy.

"auto" is OK for the IDE settings , but "not installed" is obviously a Bad Thing.

Considering the above, and the fact that this is a problem which has gotten worse over time, you may have a failing/failed hardware component.

* What IDE devices (hard drive, CD, DVD, etc.) are installed in the system, and where on the IDE channels does each device live (primary master, primary slave, secondary master, etc.)?

* Open the computer's case and verify that all power and data cables are firmly and properly seated into the drives and the motherboard. Make sure none of the data cables are nicked or cut, and see if you can feel/hear all drives spinning.

* Disconnect both the power and data cables from all IDE devices except from the boot drive (disconnect the Seconday IDE cable at the motherboard). Start the computer, go into the BIOS setup again, and see if it then correctly sees the boot drive.
If so, reconnect the other drives one by one, rebooting each time. If the computer exhibits problems only when one particular drive is connected, that drive would be the likely point of failure.

1. See this post for information about the files listed in the c:\systemvolumeinformation\_restore folders.

2. You'll have to try reposting that HJT log; if you notice, it has absolutely no line-breaks in it, making it very difficult to correctly interpret.

the site works find when we use a dns server with a name other than ourcompany.com

If I'm understanding everything you've said, we have the following scenario, yes?:

1. You can reach other sites without trouble when using your own DNS server.
2. You can resolve your own domain name when using other DNS servers.
3. You cannot resolve your mycompany.com URL on your own DNS server.

If that's all correct, I'd say you probably have a misconfigured A Record for your mycompany.com URL on your company's DNS server. This Google search contains several links to information which should help you verify and resolve the issue.

Glad you able to get it working :)

The Presario MB appears to be allergic to the card.

It may be; you'd have to check HP/Compaq's Hardware Compatibility List to see if that card is certified to work with your particular computer.

I then removed the card, plugged the screen into the 15-pin connector and reset the BIOS settings to their original status.

Sounds like the BIOS got corrupted somehow, and the reset cleared that up.

I booted in Safe Mode and was successful all the way through (no problem with the screen). In the Display item of the Control Panel, I selected a resolution of 640x480 pixels and colours at 16 bits. I pressed Apply. When I rebooted normally, the whole process was successful. I had a peak at the Display item and was surprised to see that the figures were 1024x768 and 32 bits respectively!

That's normal. In Safe Mode, Windows bypasses the card-specific driver and loads its own basic VGA driver instead; the basic VGA resolution and color depth is 640x480, 16-bit. However, when you booted Windows, it was able (because you BIOS reset cleared things up) to detect and use the real capabilities of the onboard video chipset and configure it to its optimum settings.

Hi jaromir04,

First of all- welcome to DaniWeb :)

We ask that members not tag their questions on to a thread previously started by another member (regardless of how similar your problem might seem). Not only does it divert the focus of the thread away from the original poster's problem, but it also makes it less likely that you yourself will get the individual attention that you need.

In light of that, I've moved your post into a new thread of its own, which you can find here. Someone will assist you in that thread shortly.

For a full description of our posting guidelines and general rules of conduct, please see this page:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/faq.php?faq=daniweb_policies

Thanks for understanding.

I don't recall a MS Word CD came with the computer when I purchased. Maybe I lost it?! Is there anyway that I can download it on-line?

You might be able to get a replacement disk from either Sony or Microsoft, but you'll have to be able to prove that you owned/payed for the original Office or Word package that come with the computer (if Word really did come with your computer; it may not have).

I have Time Warner cable service and I used to have wireless network set-up done by my friend (using Linksys). The other computer now is directly hooked up with the cable line due to the failure of our wireless network. I wonder if I could just hook the cable line to my PC to make it online? Please help!

You can only hook up one computer at a time to the cable modem, but with cable service, it doesn't usually matter what computer is connected; these days most cable Internet providers store the necessary logon/verification information in the modem itself. When you switch computers on a cable modem, you usually need to turn off the modem and computer first, connect the two, and then turn the modem back on first, and then turn on the the computer. The modem should them "shake hands" with the new computer and let it on line.

All right; let's us know what happens.

The following entry in your HJT log, and the relative "sparseness" of the log as a whole, indicates that you probably have items disabled through MSConfig:
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] G:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\HelpCtr\Binaries\MSConfig.exe /auto

We'll need to see a HJT log from a scan done when Windows was booted with all programs/processes enabled, so please go into MSConfig, choose the "Normal startup" option, reboot the computer, and run another HJT scan.

HP has a few suggestions concerning DVD/CD problems with your particular model; give the suggestions a try and let us know the results:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/documentIndex?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bph07116&dlc=&dest_page=documentIndex&product=94088

Hi Holly.
I deleted your other thread for you, as it seems that you were having a bit of, erm... "difficulty" with it. :cheesy:

Please start by doing the following:

Download the (free) HijackThis utility. Once downloaded, follow these instructions to install and run the program:

Create a folder for HJT outside of any Temp/Temporary folders and move the downloaded HijackThis.exe file to that folder now. A folder such such as C:\HijackThis or C:\Spyware Tools\HijackThis will do.

Run HijackThis, but do not have HJT fix anything yet; only have it scan your system! Once the scan is complete, the "Scan" button will turn into an option to "Save log...".
Save the log in the folder you created for HijackThis; the saved file will be named "hijackthis.log". Open the log file with Windows Notepad, and cut-n-paste the entire contents of the Notepad file here.

The log contents will tell us a lot about what "nasties" have crept into your system, and once we analyse the log we can tell you what to do from there.

From Sony KnowledgeBase Article #C151965:

How to perform a recovery with format.

Follow this procedure to perform a recovery with format.
WARNING: There is a risk of data loss. All software applications, configurations, and data added to the restored drives will be erased.
IMPORTANT:

• The PCGA DVD51 DVD51/A external drive is not supported for use with this notebook.
• The optional PCGA DSD5 DSM5 Transport Docking Station or another 100% ATAPI compliant CD/DVD drive must be used.
• When using the PCGA CDRW51 or CDRW52 to perform a recovery, ensure the switch on the bottom of the unit [FIG. 1] is switched to Recovery. The PCGA CDRW52 must be powered by its own AC adapter to perform a recovery.

1. Connect the computer to the optional PCGA DSD5 DSM5 Transport Docking Station.
2. Insert System Recovery CD #1 into the CD/DVD drive.
3. Restart the computer.
4. In the System Recovery CD window, press the O key to select OK.IMPORTANT: If a warning appears that the (D:)drive is not found, additional input is required.
5. In the MAIN MENU window, press the 2 key to select Full Restore with Format Drive (C:) and (D:).
6. In the System Recovery CD window, press the Y key to select Yes to initiate Full Restore with Format.
7. In the All data will be removed from the hard drive window, press Y to select Yes to continue.
8. When prompted to insert CD #2, remove System Recovery CD #1.
…

but why do you say i remined you of him?

That part wasn't my comment, it was joeprogrammer's.

I am unable to use any screen from the boot onwards.

That wasn't made entirely clear in your first post, which is why I asked specifically in my last post.

That's a catch-22 sort of position you're in; from all that you've described, I don't really see a way around it.

You're indicating that you think the VGA connector is the culprit; have you looked at it yourself, or had a tech check it out? It might be worth just replacing the connector if you determine that it's really faulty. The process isn't costly or difficult if you're halfway decent with a soldering iron.

...all of my bootable options are set to disabled. So i went in to change them, and there was no other choice other than "disabled"...

Yoiks! I've never seen that before.

The "boot priority" section of the BIOS is one place where your drives will be referenced, but there should be another area more like the place I mentioned in my last post, where specific information for each individual storage device is listed. Can you find that section?

Cool- good deal. :)

And who do i remind you of?

Your evil twin, i think. You know- the one who used to flame in the Mac forums. :mrgreen:

So it was only happening when you used WMP? Silly Rabbit, why didn't you say that in the first place? :mrgreen:

Glad you got it figured out.

That can be caused by a fault in either the video card or the monitor; we'll need to narrow thing down a bit. Try the following troubleshooting steps and give us the full and exact details of the results:

* If possible, connect a different (know-to-be-working) monitor. Does the problem still occur?

* Connect the suspect monitor to a different computer. Does the monitor still blink/flash?

* Check the VGA connector(s) at the end(s) of the monitor cable. Do you see any bent/broken pins? Does the monitor cable look severely bent/kinked or damaged in any other way? Try a different cable if possible.

* Boot Windows in to Safe Mode; this forces Windows to use its own generic VGA video driver. Does the problem still occur? (You get to the safe mode boot option by hitting the F8 key as your computer is starting up.)

* Upgrade/uninstall/reinstall your video card's drivers.

* Open the computer's case; make sure your graphics card and othr components are fully and properly seated in their slots, verify that all fans are working, and that the interior of the computer is free of dust/dirt/etc.

That is a known symptom of a particular family of spyware infections; I'm moving your question to our Viruses, Spyware, and other Nasties forum, where you can get expert help in removing the infection(s).

To begin with, please do the following:

Download the (free) HijackThis utility. Once downloaded, follow these instructions to install and run the program:

Create a folder for HijackThis outside of any Temp/Temporary folders and move the downloaded HijackThis.exe file to that folder now. A folder such such as C:\HijackThis or C:\Spyware Tools\HijackThis will do.

Run HijackThis, but do not have HJT fix anything yet; only have it scan your system! Once the scan is complete, the "Scan" button will turn into an option to "Save log...".
Save the log in the folder you created for HijackThis; the saved file will be named "hijackthis.log". Open the log file with Windows Notepad, and cut-n-paste the entire contents of the Notepad file here.

The log contents will tell us a lot about what "nasties" have crept into your system, and once we analyse the log we can tell you what to do from there.

Open the Event Viewer utility in your Administrative Tools control panel and look through your System and Application logs for entries flagged with "Error" or "Warning", especially those whose time-stamps coincide with the occurence of the problem(s). Double-clicking on such an entry will open a properties window with more detailed information on the error; post the details from a representative sample of some of the different error messages (please don't post duplicates of a given entry, or flood us with the entire contents of the logs).

To post the details:
In the Properties window of a given entry, click on the button with the graphic of two pieces of paper on it; the button is at the right of the window just below the up arrow/down arrow buttons. You won't see anything happen when you click the button, but it will copy all of the details to the Windows clipboard. You can then paste the details into your next post here.

...I canot get my computer to start. It says boot error, please restart and select a boot device or insert boot media and press any key to continue...

When you boot the computer, you need to enter the BIOS' setup utility before it gets to the point where it gives you the boot media error; we have to look in the BIOS setup to find out whether or not the physical drives are being recognized by the BIOS in order to better determine if this is a hardware or software related failure. Getting in to a BIOS involves hitting a certain key just when the computer starts to boot (that is, well before you see any Windows startup logo).

The exact key that you need to press will depend on your make/model of computer, but the common BIOS access keys are: F1, F2, Del, Insert, and Esc. The drive information you're looking for will be under a page/section called "IDE devices", "Storage Devices", or something similar; find and post that information.

Also when i was able to get the computer to work, the System 32 folder is open. I saw a topic on that here about a simlar problem, and they had to delete a HKLM\software.... type of file...

Those (HKLM references) aren't files, they are Registry entries, and you definitely don't want to start editing your Registry without precise, expert instructions specific to your particular problem. At the moment, we should focus on the larger and more important …

From Intel's support site:

These are the specifications for the integrated graphics solution on the Intel® Desktop Board D101GGC.

• Integrated Radeon* X300* based graphics solution
• Memory is shared with system memory
• Up to 4GB system memory (with up to 256MB reserved graphics memory)
• Users can set maximum automatic memory to share with steppings of 32MB, 64MB, 128MB and 256MB. If more memory is needed, it is allocated dynamically through system memory by the driver.
• Full DirectX* 9.0 Support (Vertex Shader v2.0 and Pixel Shader v2.0)
• Supports resolutions up to 2048x1536 @32bpp
• SmartShader* 2.0 allows complex, movie-like 3D effects
• SmoothVision* 2.1 improves image quality through anti-aliasing using multi-sampling algorithm with support for 2,4, and 6 samples

They have Cox cable internet. Friends have advised me not to connect my laptop to their cable modem for the risk that it will mess up their internet connection.

It probably won't do anything to their setup, but you might have to reconfigure your computer to get it to work, as DSL and Cable often use different connectivity protocols (PPPoE vs DHCP, to be specific) and DSL providers often require installing special connectivity software on your computer. Even so, plugging your computer in to the cable modem shouldn't change the cable connection; the worst that would happen is that it won't work with your computer.

If you do try it, do it in this order:
* Turn off the modem and the computers.
* Unplug their computer from the modem and connect yours.
* Turn on the modem first; let it go through its startup "dance" and stabilize (usually, most of the lights on the modem will turn solid green a that point).
* Turn on your computer, let it boot fully, and then try to connect to the Internet.

My computer has always detected an open-access wireless network near their house somewhere, and as far as I can tell, it is from the McDonald's down the street...

Troubleshooting connection problems involving someone else's WiFi network is often a frustrating and futile endeavor, as you have no knowledge of (or control over) what's happening on the business end of that network. Among other possibilities, lax …

Please give us the following details:

* Make and model of computer.
* Make and model of DVD drive and, if possible, the name and version of the driver software in use (you can find this info in Device Manager).
* The version of Windows you are using.
* Any details on the history of the problem which might give us some clues.

Are the drives listed in Device Manager, and if so, are they reported to be working properly?

Normally, the procedure would be as follows:

1. Uninstall the current (on-board) video device through Device Manager. You do this by hilighting the device's name under the "Display Adapters" heading and then right-clicking on the device name. Choose "Uninstall" from the resulting drop-down context menu. If the current video card software has components listed in your Add/Remove Programs control panel, uninstall those as well.

2. Shut down the computer and install the new PCI card.

3. Boot the computer and immediately go in to the BIOS setup, switch over to the PCI card in the setup, save your configuration changes, and continue booting.

4. When Windows first starts up, it should do so using the standard Windows VGA driver. It should then go into the "new hardware detected" routine, at which point you choose the "Have Disk" option and follow the prompts from there to install the manufacturer-supplied driver software.

Of course, none of that is really going to help if the current video card won't even give you a usable display at the BIOS screens (that is, before Windows is involved). Is that the case, or does the display only choke once Windows becomes part of the equation? For that matter- do you get a working display when you boot Windows into Safe Mode?

To boot into Safe Mode:

• Start tapping the F8 key when the computer first starts up (before the Windows logo appears)
• Instead of Windows loading as normal, a …

As the member who originally started this thread has indicated that their problem has been solved, this thread has been marked accordingly and is now closed.

In accordance with our posting rules, other members having similar questions or problems need to start their own threads and post their questions there.
In order to help us help you most quickly, please include as much information about your problem as possible in your posts.

If the member who originally started this thread wishes to have the thread reopened, please send your request, including a link to this thread, to one of our moderators via email or Private Message.

Thank you.

Hi arnibol,

First of all- welcome to DaniWeb :)

We ask that members not tag their questions on to a thread previously started by another member, regardless of how similar your problem might seem. Not only does it divert the focus of the thread away from the original poster's problem, but it also makes it less likely that you yourself will get the individual attention that you need.

Please start your own thread and post your question there. When you do, please give us as much specific info as possible regarding the problem (exact error messages, system specs, troubleshooting steps you've already tried, etc.).

For a full description of our posting guidelines and general rules of conduct, please see this page:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/faq.php?faq=daniweb_policies

Thanks for understanding.

What you describe is quite common, and is usually due to a fault with the DC power receptacle in the laptop. The receptacle is soldered to the motherboard, and the solder leads are often the only thing securing it to the motherboard, so they can get damaged or broken from taking the stress of plugging/unplugging/jiggling/jarring the connection. When this happens, the first visible indication will be an intermittent ability to engage the charger, but eventually overheating and shorting will occur at the broken solder joints, and this can lead to serious motherboard damge. The fact that you say you hear "a strange noise" means that you are already at this point.

If you are not comfortable with disassebling your laptop, you need to take it to a repair shop ASAP. Replacing the DC connector isn't difficult or time-consuming for an experienced tech, and the part itself only costs a few dollars. If you catch the problem before it gets too severe, simply replacing the connector will totally fix the problem. However, if you let it go and continue to jiggle the connection around, you will eventually destroy circuitry on the motherboard, which will obviously be a Very Bad Thing.

Linkage:

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/case/formATX-c.html

You're welome; glad we could help. Post a follow-up when you get a chance; we'll be here...

Hi kid220, wlecome to DaniWeb :)

When posting a question or problem here, please provide as much specific information regarding the problem as possible in order for us to help you most quickly. In this particular case, having the following information would help us:

1. You said: "i can connect to the network". What exactly does this mean? How are you verifying that fact? Describe your network setup in more detail please.

2. Is this a new network/Internet setup, or is this a case of a new problem occurring on a setup that worked previously? If the setup did work at some point, give us details/history on anything that was done to the system around the time it stopped working.

3. What exact errors do you get when you try to reach the Internet?

4. Did you run the router setup software? If so, what exact results did you get?

5. You'll need to determine whether the problem lies with computer's network configuration or with the router's configuration. Netgear's manuals are very complete and informative; you will find connection/configuration and troubleshooting instructions in the 614's manual, which can be viewed here.

When using manufacturer-supplied recovery disks, the restore/reinstall/reformat will vary between makes and models of computers. You should be able to find instructions for your particular model of Vaio on Sony's support site, but if not, give us the exact model number and we'll help you from there.

you could try Lavasoft AdAware and/or SpyBot.

Those two programs used to be very effective, but they're less helpful in detecting and removing many of today's newer and "smarter" infections.

Resources for preventing/detecting/removing malicious programs can be found in the following links:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread27519.html
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread27570.html
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread28196.html

Due to the fact that the member who originally started this thread has not responded in almost 2 years, this thread is considered abandoned and has been closed.

In accordance with our posting rules, other members having similar questions or problems need to start their own threads and post their questions there.
In order to help us help you most quickly, please include as much information about your problem as possible in your posts.

If the member who originally started this thread wishes to have the thread reopened, please send your request, including a link to this thread, to one of our moderators via email or Private Message.

Thank you.

Due to the fact that the member who originally started this thread has not responded in ovefr 1 year, this thread is considered abandoned and has been closed.

In accordance with our posting rules, other members having similar questions or problems need to start their own threads and post their questions there.
In order to help us help you most quickly, please include as much information about your problem as possible in your posts.

If the member who originally started this thread wishes to have the thread reopened, please send your request, including a link to this thread, to one of our moderators via email or Private Message.

Thank you.

Hi peer,

First of all- welcome to DaniWeb :)

We ask that members not tag their questions on to a thread previously started by another member (regardless of how similar your problem might seem). Not only does it divert the focus of the thread away from the original poster's problem, but it also makes it less likely that you yourself will get the individual attention that you need.

In light of that, I've moved your post into its own new thread, which you can find here.

For a full description of our posting guidelines and general rules of conduct, please see this page:

http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/faq.php?faq=daniweb_policies

Thanks for understanding.

Due to the fact that the member who originally started this thread has not responded in over 1 year, this thread is considered abandoned and has been closed.

In accordance with our posting rules, other members having similar questions or problems need to start their own threads and post their questions there.
In order to help us help you most quickly, please include as much information about your problem as possible in your posts.

If the member who originally started this thread wishes to have the thread reopened, please send your request, including a link to this thread, to one of our moderators via email or Private Message.

Thank you.