WIN ME problem

[Markoman01027]

Hello everybody,

My brother is having problems with his WINME COMPAQ computer.

We are sharing our broadband connection. This started happening after we installed printer drivers.

When we open up IE, it cannot find any websites. But he is able to talk on AIM and download music from KAZAA.

I tried running Netscape, but the samething happens.

I sent him the IE 6 update from my computer to his, and when he tries running it, the program locks up and I need to CTRL+ALT+DEL.

So I installed Mozilla, and when it installed fine, I tried accessing a website, and the browser wouldn't even connect.

So I tried to run DEFRAG. As it scans for Errors on the hard drive, it goes from 1% and then goes back down to 0% and does the samething over and over.

What could be the problem?

I'm considering doing a reformat on the system with the recovery CD. But I do not have the original Video card with the COMPAQ, because I had to use it for my old system and then it died. Any issues with reformatting with another video card?

Thanks,

[HAL9000]

Well...I can't say for sure... but I have had many a machine come across my bench with the exact same symptoms... thank you Kazaa (the common denominator). I've had to remove Kazaa, do a complete spyware cleanup, nuke all the network settings including the ethernet adapter from safe mode, reboot and reload the NIC, TCP/IP protocol, and setup the internet settings again.

[reboot]

I think I could have saved you a lot of work HAL.
Do a search on the whole system, including hidden and system files for the "Hosts" file. You should find at least 2 of them, the normal one in c:\windows and another buried in c:\windows\system32\someotherfilename\
It's the second one that routes everything to 127.0.0.1 hence no surfing.
I had the exact same problem last night after upgrading to kazaalite 2.0.2 and I just deleted the hosts file to get it working again.

[not important]

I,also, had the same thing happen a couple of weeks ago. Had a friend with the same problem previously so I knew where to look. Kazaa lite was the culprit.

[Markoman01027]

I removed Kazaa from the system. I removed all Spyware from the system, I scanned for Viruses, and there was none.

I reinstalled my NIC. Reinstall the TCP/IP protocol.

Removed the Printer drivers.

Still no Internet connection but AIM and Yahoo works fine.

I somehow cannot find the hosts file like Reboot was saying. Where can I find it? And what ones to delete?

Also. I maybe reformatting the system with the compaq recovery CD. The system does not contain the original Video Card. Will it still reformat no problem?

I am going to use the LINKSYS internet setup wizard on the computer and use the "add additional computers" to see if that helps.

Running DEFRAG in SAFE MODE right not with only 1 program running in the background. If the problem still persists with the 1% going back to 0% and so forth. Then I am guessing a reformat will do just the trick.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

[Update: DEFRAG is running fine in SAFE MODE with only 1 program running in the background(Explorer).]

Will post back with more results! But please answer my question :P

Question 1: I somehow cannot find the hosts file like Reboot was saying. Where can I find it? And what ones to delete?

Question 2: Also. I maybe reformatting the system with the compaq recovery CD. The system does not contain the original Video Card. Will it still reformat no problem?

Thanks guys!

[edge345]

#2 yes it will work with the new video card. after setup is finished just reinstall the new vidio card drivers.

as for #1 if you do #2 you dont need #1 answered....

[Confused]

To find file, Start, Find, Files or Folders, enter "Hosts" without the quotes. Make sure that your search target is your system disk. Should be "C".
Chas

[Markoman01027]

Now if I were to find them. Would I just remove them? What would happen to them after reboot?

Also.. I may use the SCANREG/RESTORE option to see if that helps.

What type of HOST file should I look for? Host and lmhosts?

I tried to run the LINKSYS Setup Wizard on the computer, but when I double clicked on the setup file it gave me a message saying " windows shocket initilization failed" . So I went into DOS to run PING and I got about WINSOCK failed, and aswell as with WINIPCON(I forgot how to spell the program you run to check ethernet info.

Anybody know what those error messages mean?

I gave up and now reformatting his HD.

[Update:] Reformatting did the job. Although I had lost my Internet connection, removing the TCP/IP Protocl somehow screwed up WINSOCK. I dont know how that that could of happened. Anyways. System is running fine right now. Thanks for all that helped out

[HAL9000]

Oddly enuf Jim... I have run thru exactly what you have said without success. I know you like Kazaa Lite, but so far the only reason I like it, it makes me money.

[reboot]

Heh...well, kazaalite does work, and I know there are problems with ALL the P2P programs, or there are problems with the users of the P2P programs.
I just did a search for all "host" files, including hidden and system files, and deleted them. A restart, and everything worked.