Posts by DMR

* Right click on your My Computer icon.
* Choose "Properties" from the resulting drop-down context menu.
* Click on the "Hardware" tab,
* Click on the "Device Manager" button.

In the list of your installed hardware, are there any devices which have a yellow exclamation point or a red "X" next to their name/icon? If so, double-clicking on the problematic device will open a status window which will give you more details concerning the error.

Post those details here (fully and completely), as well as the exact name of the device in question.

* Turn off the computer and modem.
* Unplug the USB cable.
* Connect the two with an Ethernet cable.
* Turn the modem on and wait until it goes through its power-up initialization routine.
* Turn on the computer; wait until all of your startup programs, etc. have fully loaded up.
* perform the following steps again:

* Click on the "Run..." option in your Start menu.
* In the "Open:" box of the resulting window, type "cmd" (omit the quotes) and hit Enter. This will bring up a DOS window.
* At the DOS prompt, type the following command and then hit Enter. You won't see any result from the command, but when it completes, a second prompt with a flashing cursor will be displayed; close the DOS box once that happens:
ipconfig /all >"%userprofile%"\desktop\ipconfig.txt

The above command will have created a text file on you desktop named ipconfig.txt; double-click on the file to open it in Notepad, and then cut-n-paste the file's contents in your next post here. The contents of the file will give us some important details of your IP configuration.

1. Xpenetrator's advice regarding getting your system up-to-date is quite correct, although you shouldn't attempt such a major upgrade (to Service Pack 2, that is) until your system is problem and virus free. Please download the latest version of HijackThis as suggested, run a scan, and post the new log.

2. In terms of:

If anyone has any information on this particular virus or how to eradicate it, please let me know.

An explanation of the problem, and the solution, are posted here.

Hmmm.... is it possible to connect the computer and modem via an Ethernet cable? That's usually a more reliable connection overall, and it would be easier to troubleshoot as well, given our long-distance relationship. :mrgreen:

Also- please post the make & model # of the modem.

Memtest must be run from a bootable floppy or CD, so:

* If you plan to make a memtest86 bootable floppy, download the pre-compiled Windows .zip version.

* If you plan to burn a memtest86 bootable CD-ROM, download the zipped ISO version.

I've never seen a link to any version built specifically for a USB key/flash device.

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For an explanation of, and fix for, the C:\WINDOWS\system32\config\system error, please see this thread.
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I'd recommend AVG as well.
While you're at the AVG Free download page, you might want to download the free version of ewido antispyware that is available on that page. ewidois a very good spyware detection and removal tool; your computer will be well-protected if you use ewido in conjunction with AVG.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html

Yes; a handy utility. You can download it onto another machine, copy it to a CD or floppy, and get it on the problematic machine that way.

You're welcome, and thanks again for providing the necessary device info up front; that saved us a lot of time!

Let us know how hte driver install goes...

Hello aarya,

While I do understand that the content or tenor of one member's post may be taken in a negative light by another member, our forums' threads are not really the place to voice such objections. This is especially true in the case where the member who takes offence has not even been an active participant in the thread in question. (As a slight aside, please note that this particular thread had not even been active in over one year.)
Additionally, your comment insinuating jwenting's lack of education can itself be easily taken as offensive and/or demeaning, thereby making you guilty of essentially the same offence of which you have accused him.

In the future, you might want to try a bit more patience in instances such as this, as undue criticism of one member by another can escalate into "flame wars", which we definitely do not tolerate.

If you're running Windows XP SP2, try the quick and easy fix first:

* Click on the "Run..." option in your Start menu. In the "Open:" box of the resulting window, 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:
netsh winsock reset catalog

* Reboot the computer and see if you have Internet access.

** A note from Microsoft regarding the above procedure:

"Warning Programs that access or monitor the Internet such as antivirus, firewall, or proxy clients may be negatively affected when you run the netsh winsock reset command. If you have a program that no longer functions correctly after you use this resolution, reinstall the program to restore functionality."

The removal of certain types of adware/spyware/viruses can sometimes "break" your TCP/IP software or web browsing capabilities, but there are fairly simple fixes available.

As this is an issue related to malicious infections rather than to Windows operating systems themselves, I'll move this to our Viruses, Spyware, and other nasties forum.

We have another office setup exactly the same as the one above in a totally different location.

I believe what mooman2004 is trying to say is that they have two workgroups, both having the same workgroup name and (private, I assume) IP addressing schemes, on two distance-separated physical LANs, which both connect to the Internet via DSL, and that they would like to basically span/connect the workgroups across the Internet.

Hi .:Epyon:., welcome to DaniWeb :)

... Device Manager shows there is a problem under 'Other Devices - Ethernet Controller', but there isnt a brand name or anything else that can helpo me find drivers for it.

Heres what I know so far...
HARDWARE ID
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_103B&SUBSYS_00120E11&REV_81

Good job; thanks for including that info! It indicates that you have a built-in (on-motherboard) Intel Pro/100 VM Ethernet controller, but it also appears that your driver has either been uninstalled or has gotten corrupted. As far as getting a new driver package, Intel has this to say about the Pro/100 VM drivers:

"The Intel® PRO/100 VM product is not sold directly by Intel. It is only sold by original equipment manufacturers and is typically integrated into the computer system. For support, software drivers and warranty concerns, please contact the vendor from which you purchased the computer containing the PRO/100 VM.

If you cannot obtain drivers for the VM from your computer vendor, you can try the drivers for the Intel® PRO/100 adapter family. These drivers should work. However, if the original computer vendor added any additional features, you might not have access to them when using the Intel drivers."

Which of the following are you attempting to accomplish?:

1. A repair of your existing Windows installation.
2. An "in-place"/"upgrade" reinstallation on top of your existing installation.
3. A full reinstallation of Windows (completely from scratch, including a reformat of the drive)?

In the case of the particular problem you have, unless you perform a full reinstallation of Windows (including reformatting), you will need to repair your existing installation by fully and carefully following the Registry repair procedures I linked to.

Ok... so I start my computer one time and I get the following message as soon as i turn it on:

"Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt: \windows\system32\config\system "

The solution to that problem is discussed in this thread.

It sais I need to insert the windows instillation cd and press r. I do that but the system just restarts...

You need to boot from the Windows installation CD in order to use the Recovery Console (which is what pressing "R" gets you in to).

One common cause for that exact problem, and the fix:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q270008/

Although the article pertains to Win 2000, I've seen the problem occur with XP as well; the fix described for Win 2000 works for XP.

Please note that although the article only refers to the "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" entries in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet registry subkey, I've had to apply the fix to the similar entries (if found) in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet00x subkeys as well in order to make it work.

Some people have needed to reboot after deleting the registry entries, others have not.

The most definitive way to check your RAM configuration is to open the computer's case and take a look at the RAM slots. How many are filled? What are the brand names and part numbers on the installed RAM modules?

Thanks. I'll shut it down.

Go for it. It doesn't serve any useful purpose; having it running just eats up some of your computer's resources (CPU time and RAM).

What will happen if I disable this thing from the start-up menu?

PowerReg is a non-essential product registration reminder program used by some software manufacturers; disable it with msconfig or have HijackThis fix the corresponding " O4 - Startup" entry to prevent the application from running.

Sorry the news isn't better, but it really does sound like you're looking at a motherboard replacement...

DMR:

Thank you for your suggestion, but something is missing.

When I click on the "properties widnow" of my printer, I do not get any security tab....

Sorry, that was my mistake- I missed the fact that you're using XP Home edition. XP Home doesn't have the extended sharing/security settings that are available in XP Pro.

I agree with the person you contacted at Epson that this does sound like a user rights/permissions issue, but unfortunately I don't have an immediate answer as to where to modify those permissions in XP Home. :(

One common cause for that exact problem, and the fix:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q270008/

Although the article pertains to Win 2000, I've seen the problem occur with XP as well; the fix described for Win 2000 works for XP.

Please note that although the article only refers to the "UpperFilters" and "LowerFilters" entries in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet registry subkey, I've had to apply the fix to the similar entries (if found) in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet00x subkeys as well in order to make it work.

Some people have needed to reboot after deleting the registry entries, others have not.

Hi king69_666,

Please see this thread for the solution to that particular error.

* Open your Printers and Faxes folder.
* Right-click on the printer's name/icon and choose "Prpoerties" from the drop-down menu.
* Click on the "Security" tab in the properties window and verify that the permissions for your wife's account are set correctly. If her account does not show up in the list of user names, add it.

...when I do ipconfig it tells me "Media Disconnected"...

Are you sure the "Media Disconnected" status was referring to the wireless adapter and not the Ethernet adapter?

...and is not grabbing the Default Gateway.

Unless you can speak with the owners/administrators of those other networks, you have no idea how they are configured or how your machine should act when connected to them. If you know nothing about the other available wifi networks, ingnore them for troubleshoong purposes.

Hi helpme2006,

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. Also- our posting rules prohibit starting multiple threads for the same problem. In light of that, I've deleted your other posts on this topic.

Please start your own thread (in this forum) and post your question there. When you do, please give us as much specific info as possible regarding the problem (exact error messages, the exact name of the game that's giving you trouble, your 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.

Considering that it's a 4 year old hand-me-down that someone has already pilfered parts out of:

1. The drive could be physically damaged.
2. The installed operating system could be corrupted.
3. The last owner may have wiped the operating system entirely.

* The "F1" key probably did take you to the BIOS setup page(s). Try to get in to the setup again and look around there for anything that list information on the hard drive. Let us know what, if anything, you find.

* Try booting the computer from a Windows installation CD. Will the computer at least boot that way? Does the installation routine detect the drive? If so, your best bet is to do a full reformat and reinstallation of Windows; even if there is a working version of Windows installed on the Hard drive, it could be full of problems.

1. Are you running XP SP1, or SP2?
2. Do you get the "your computer might be at risk..." ballon warning you that the firewall is disabled?
3. If your computer joins a domain when you connect at school, there may be some issue between the domain's security policy settings and your local security policy settings which is denying you rights to the firewall config.

Someone suggested the motherboard might have been "tweaked" (for the lack of a better word) just enough to cause a stress crack ...I can't understand is why each slot works and tests good with the diagnostics when only one DIMM is installed.

Damage to a memory controller chip or one of the address/data circuit traces on the mobo can cause problems with ranges of memory addresses, or memory addresses above a certain point, regardless of whether the total installed memory is contained on one RAM module or multiple RAM modules.

Dell's support site alludes to the above in their description of the exact error messages you are getting from their diagnostics:

Message:

Memory address line failure at address, read value expecting value

Memory write/read failure at address, read value expecting value

Probable Causes:
Faulty or improperly seated DIMMs or defective system board

There are more than a few know issues with ATI driver installations; please post the following specific details in order to narrow down the possibilities:

1. The full and exact text of the error message.
2. The full version/revision number of the driver package you are trying to use.
3. The make and model of the computer.
4. The exact version of Windows you are using.

My connection is hardwired ( UTP using RJ45 ) and is direct connection between two computer ...

That means you need to be using a CAT5 cable wired in crossover configuration, unless your network cards are auto-sensing. Please verify that.

I'll be lurking around keeping an eye on the progress; I've got email auto-notification applied to this thread....

OK, first of all:
"Bridge" is the wrong term. That's a totally diferent device. I think they meant "Router"...

"Bridging" in the case of a DSL modem refers to a "transparent" mode of operation, where the modem's built-in NAT/security features (if they exist) are disabled, and the attached computer, not the modem, is responsible for the dialing/login.

You need a crossover cable to connect the ADSL modem to your router's WAN port...

A crossover cable is rarely needed for that connection, and I've definitely never had to use a crossover cable with any routers I've connected to SpeedStream modems.

Let's also keep in mind that ladycharmed indicated that pings and HTTP requests (by IP address, using IE) from the computer to the router failed. The modem isn't even in the picture at that point.

ladycharmed, you posted:

Once I manage to get to the configuration page, and click on 'test/apply'

Exactly what configuration page are you referring to?

I'm following the instructions - name is blank, "admin" for password, and the page still won't open. Anything else I could be missing?

But you do at least get to the login page, yes?

I hope DMR doesn't mind if I try to shoot the trouble right away.

Not at all; please be my guest. Your knowledge of German will honestly be much more helpful than my lack thereof. :mrgreen:

the search feature in ie

I didn't say Internet Explorer, I said Windows Explorer. In the search function of Windows Explorer you specify the filename (or partial filename) of the particular file you're searching for in the "All or part of filename" box; Windows will show you where on your hard drive all instances of that name occur.

start>properties was as far as i could get with your instructions. there was no shortcut tab that existed in that window. only start menu and taskbar.

I should have been more clear about step #1: Right-click on the name of the program in question where it appears in under the Programs/All Programs folder in your Start menu. In your case, I'm referring to any of the three programs listed in the start>all programs>pc tools Start menu folder.

The program listings under your Start menu are usually just shortcuts to the actual programs; you can find the target program through the shortcut's Properties:

* Right-click on the Start menu shortcut.
* Choose Properties from the resulting drop-down context menu.
* Click on the "Shortcut" tab in the Properties window.
* Click on the "Find Target" button.

For general finding/searching, Windows Explorer has a Search feature- just double-click on your My Computer icon and then click the Search button at the top of the Explorer window.

Well you see the usertitles up until 4000 posts.

Yeah, and after that... you become a Mod.
Run for cover.
:mrgreen:

OK- post again when you have some news...

There are still plenty of signs of infections in your latest HJT log, but it also looks like Norton was damaged or incompletely uninstalled. Can you tell us anything about that before we start performing fixes to the system?

OK- keep us posted.....

It's the special character that's throwing things for a loop; the "^" is a line-break character. Try this:

Enclose the entire username in qoutes when you issue the net user command:
net user "bOpS^"

I've merged paperbykate's two threads together, because they involve almost identical network security issues.

After connecting to the router, at DOS Prompt i typed ipconfig to get the ip add & i got...

All of that IP info is correct, which means that your computer is successfully connecting to the router and receiving valid IP configuration from the router via DHCP. Communications over the network, however, seem to be being blocked. Look in to the following:

When troubleshooting any network-related issue, the first thing you need to do is to completely disable any firewall software (including XP's built-in ICF/ICS features). Simply choosing the "Disable" option in the firewall program's settings/preferences rarely turns the firewall off entirely; you will need to deselect the preference setting that tells the firewall to automatically start when Windows boots, and then restart the computers. After reboot, verify that the firewall is indeed disabled.
Keep your firewalls dropped until you get things working.

To get to the router setup screen joeprogrammer posted above, put the following address in your browser's location/address bar to bring up the WRT54G's login page:

http://192.168.1.1

On the login page, the username is left blank, and the default password is admin

I don't think you're supposed to discuss illegal things here...

Right you are.

Does that mean that you ended up having to edit the Registry manually? Just curious.

Hi duub7,

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.

Given that, I've split youtr request into a new thread of it's own.

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.

Hi jaycckan,

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.