Internet Pains

[subedei]

I have a few problems with XP at the moment that I could use help with. The first is just a minor one, I had to delete some programs that were causing problems in start-up but now, even though they are deleted, they are still listed as startup programs in MSConfig, any ideas how to get rid of them. The second, has to do with my Internet connection, while my modem attaches to the internet, firefox or IE won't find any sites. I have pinged the DNS and it works, so it is not the internet connection, I thought it might be Microsoft Firewall, but that isn't enabled for the connection, I disabled ZoneAlarm but that didn't change anything. I did all the things in the Internet Troubleshooter and that didn't bring any more success.

There is one more funny thing though, when I do connect, ZoneAlarm keeps detecting people trying to access my computer and they keep changing IP address, I presume it is different people and this happens the second I connect and keeps happening. And as two last small notes, for some reason AVG seems to be greyed out, when its in the taskbar, as if its not on or something and it just flashes at startup and disappears to the taskbar and also PestPatrol doesn't work, each time I try to load it up, I get an error. Any suggestions?

[rjfvillarosa]

It sounds very much like you have a virus or trojan, I would strongly recommend that you run an online scan at http://housecall.trendmicro.com
Also if you can, download a new copy of AVG7 to a friends machine put it straight on a CD, uninstall AVG from your machine then when your machine is not connected to the internet install AVG from the CD and run some scans, as soon as you feel your machine is reasonably clean connect to the internet and go straight into AVG and update, after the updates have finished start your scans all over again.

[macko72]

Try to change proxy settings, and as rjfvillarosa said first try to run antivirus and antispyware in safe mode!!!

One more thing (my personal) Zone alarm I was testing it and almost same thing happend to me I was able to ping DNS and even web sites but my browser (IE or Firefox) where unable to open any page, now as I said I've changed proxy settings (well first I have uninstalled ZA) with proxy switcher witch I have with google search!!! Once more time this is my personal opinion!!

[subedei]

I do not have a working Internet connection on that computer, as mentioned above, so I can not run any online scans. The version of AVG I have is 7.0, I downloaded it only a week ago and it does not pick up any virus's. But I cannot go into AVG update, because I do not have the Internet connection. I will have a go at changing proxy settings and get back to you though.

[subedei]

I had a look at the proxy settings and I have none, my Internet connection is dial-up so maybe thats why, this connection has worked in the past without any so I don't think its linked. I also uninstalled ZoneAlarm and PestPatrol and the results are the same. Actually what is puzzling about this, is that when the browser try's to connect to the Internet it finds no websites very quickly, quicker than it does when the connection working. macko72 mentioned something about a proxy switcher, I don't know if that will help but maybe it will, so where do I find one of these things?

[macko72]

Here you can find one http://www.proxyswitcher.com/ !!!
If you have firefox it's possible to change proxy in option > general >at the botom is connetinon settings!!!

[subedei]

I tried proxyswitcher and keeps crashing, I can't get it work. And while I can set firefox's connection to autodetect, which doesn't change my situation or I can change it manually, which I do not know how to. I used nslookup and it said server:Unknown, 'Unknown Can't Find pcmech.com: no response from server'. Thanks for help so far but keep them coming please.

[glc]

Open a command prompt and type:

IPCONFIG/FLUSHDNS

Download and run the following program:

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

[subedei]

Thanks lads, your help is most appreciated. The problem was with a firewall from nvidia called forceware, it was part of a network package, when I installed it, I unticked the firewall installation but it looks like it installed it anyway. It had no interface other than a web based one, and I could not access the Internet, so I did not have the ability to configure it. But I deleted it and everything seems to be working fine now. Thanks again for your help, is much appreciated.