No connection to the internet... but no!

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Moses, Jun 20, 2005.

  1. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Odd little issue I have...

    Before I wiped my computer clean of spyware a few days ago, I would occasionally get pop-up messages which would say something like:

    This page not available offline...

    and then I'd have two buttons:

    <<Try again>> or <<Cancel>>

    Likewise, when I'd click on a WMV stream while cruising the internet (with Mozilla firefox), I'd get something like:

    Not connected to the internet (with the little blue 'e' internet explorer symbol over a white 'page' symbol, next to a threatening red symbol).

    <<Connect>> or <<Cancel>>

    Well, I still get the latter problem when attempting to view some WMV's, and I can't seem to get certain streaming video/music sound files to work at all.

    Any suggestions?

    I'm running XP SP1 with MSN and Mozilla browsers to connect to the internet (DSL).

    -Da Mose
     
  2. Brandon

    Brandon controlmind

    Download and run LSP-Fix

    controlmind
     
  3. Brandon

    Brandon controlmind

    And if it doesnt work, download and run WinSock XP Fix 1.2 and if it ask you for reboot then YES

    controlmind
     
  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    It is not a very good idea to recommend downloading tools like this unless you are going to explain to the user exactly what to do with it. And in order to do that, you would have to know which item in the LSP-chain is broken (if there even is one). It would be a better idea to dig a little deeper first to find out what the real problems maybe before just posting quick messages to download tools that average users should not be using. Using a tool like this improperly, can really break a connection completely when it may not be truly broken.

    Moses already indicated having problems with spyware so that should raise a red flag for some further investigation.
     
  5. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    What kind of information can I provide to make this little endeavor easier for you?

    -Da Mose
     
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Well if you believe that you have malware related problems that need fixing, I'm going to move this thread to the Spyware Forum and what you should do is follow the steps below. After following the steps in the READ ME FIRST, the followup HijackThis log will let us know what else needs to be fixed. If you cannot access the internet at all to do downloads then you should immediately indicated this. And then try to get HijackThis onto the problem PC via another method (like a floppy, a CD, a flash drive etc from another PC you can download to. In fact, that would work for the other programs too.)

    - Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ ME FIRST BEFORE ASKING FOR SUPPORT: Basic Spyware, Trojan And Virus Removal

    Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.

    - Very Important: Make sure you tell us the results from running the tutorial...was anything found? Were you unable to complete any of the scans?...Were you unable to download any of the tools?...Did you do the on-line scans as suggested? etc.


    After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps below:

    - Download HijackThis 1.99.1

    - Unzip the hijackthis.exe file to a folder you create named C:\Program Files\HJT

    - Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose to run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file.

    - Before running HijackThis: You must close each of the following:your web browser, e-mail client, instant messenger, and programs like notepad, wordpad, MS Word etc. And any other unnecessary running programs.

    - Run HijackThis and save your log file.

    - Post your log as an ATTACHMENT to your next message. (Do NOT copy/paste the log into your post).
     
  7. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    One question too.... how do you connect to the internet (dial-up, cable, DSL, etc)?
     
  8. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    I actually worked with bjgarrick last week and just got my comp clean sweeped, pretty much. I don't really think this is directly related to malware, as it happened before and after I "cleaned up", even before I started exploring the internet too much again afterwards.

    I connect by DSL.

    I really am stumped.

    -Da Mose
     
  9. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Could it be that my comp still thinks it's connecting by dial-up? I can go places with Mozilla and such, like right now, but I can't connect to MSN most of the time because it thinks I'm offline (even though my DSL box is glowing like normal), and I can't see those videos or listen to those sound files I click on. I'm only seeing one connection option in my "connect to" thingy.

    Ugh, did I just use the word "thingy"? Sorry, it's late where I am.

    -Da Mose
     
  10. bjgarrick

    bjgarrick MajorGeeks Admin - Malware Expert

    In Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options > Connections

    Is it set to "Never dial a connection" ??
     
  11. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Ok, it (my only connection in those options) is set to "Never dial a connection", but I remember why. A while back I kept getting boxes popping up saying "Connecting..." which would be followed by boxes that said "Error: There was no dial tone" or something similar, with a counter counting down to a "Redial".

    Well, I don't connect through dial-up anymore, so I'm at a loss as to what to do. I'm not exactly a computar-savvy fella, as you can tell.

    -Da Mose
     
  12. bjgarrick

    bjgarrick MajorGeeks Admin - Malware Expert

    That option should be checked if your on DSL.

    What exactly is the problem?
     
  13. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Ok, I connect through DSL, and I usually browse using Mozilla Firefox. Occasionally I'll use MSN as a browser, though. I haven't been able to connect through MSN (most of the time) because it states that it "could not find a connection to the internet" or something similar, which is nuts because I can obviously cruise using Mozilla. Also, if I try to access most WMV files or sound files on a website, a box will pop up telling me there is "no connection to the internet". Sometimes I can get the video or music to work if I hit the "retry" button on that box. Sometimes, back when I had a lot of spyware problems, IE would try to open up a pop-up ad, but it wouldn't connect because IE "couldn't find a connection to the internet" or something.

    This problem just appeared one day and I'm really in the dark about what my Control Panel>>Internet Setting should look like.

    -Da Mose

    EDIT: Also, and again, this is something that happens sometimes and not others, I'll be able to get into MSN, but then MSN messenger won't work due to (I suspect) the above problems.
     
  14. Major Attitude

    Major Attitude Co-Owner MajorGeeks.Com Staff Member

    Controlmind, first and only warning. We have knowledgeable people here, please do not assist in here, we got a great, functioning system with a couple excellent people. Some of your advice will cause damage. Thank you.

     
  15. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    It would not hurt to post the HJT log I asked for just so we can be sure no visible malware programs are at work.
     
  16. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Okie dokie.

    -Da Mose
     

    Attached Files:

  17. bjgarrick

    bjgarrick MajorGeeks Admin - Malware Expert

    Moses,

    Before we try anything else you must update your OS. Download Service Pack 2 from the provided link. After download is complete install, reboot and post a fresh HJT log. Also, check to see if your problem remains because this update may fix it.

    Windows XP Service Pack 2
     
  18. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Little problem with that. About 7 months ago I was having major problems with my old OS (Windows ME), so my buddy Sean reformatted my hard drive and installed a (pirated) copy of Windows XP on my computer, and that's what I have been using ever since, so I won't be able to use SP2.

    :(

    -Da Mose
     
  19. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    That was two mistakes:
    1) Using a pirated version is a very bad idea as you see now because you cannot get any updates, security patches, etc. You need to buy your own copy.

    2) Never upgrade to WinXP from older Windows versions. It is always better to clean install.


    While your HJT log appears to be clean, there appears to be something wrong too. You show no typical HJT lines that would appear prior to the O16 lines. This is not normal.
    Who deleted (i.e. fixed ) all those registry entries? Or are you using HijackThis to filter certain lines?
     
    Last edited: Jun 23, 2005
  20. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    I'm the only one who has used Hijackthis for this computer, and I'm not using the filter at all.

    :eek:

    I just realized I'm getting direct help from TWO majorgeeks forumites, with auxiliary help from a third! I'm such a lucky ducky.

    :D

    -Da Mose
     
  21. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Okay so then I would have to ask, did you delete entries using HijackThis prior to coming here because you are missing many startup items that should be showing.

    Generate a StartupList log using HijackThis.
    Run HJT and on the first screen, click the button that says "Open the Misc Tools section". In the next window first select "List also minor sections (full)" and then click the button that says "Generate StartupList log". CLick Yes to the Do you want to continue prompt. Now a notepad window will come up with the Startuplist.txt file. It is already saved in the the directory HJT is running from. So just come back here and upload the file as an attachment to your next message.


    Also download: "StartDreck", from here:
    http://www.niksoft.at/_data/startdreck.zip

    Unzip to its own folder and start the program,
    Press 'Config'
    Press 'Unmark All'
    Check the following boxes only:
    Registry -> Run Keys
    System/drivers> Running processes
    Press 'Ok'
    Press 'Save' and select the location to save the log file
    (default is the same folder as the application)

    Please attach the log in this thread.
     
  22. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    Ok, Chaslang, here's the HJT startup log.

    That "Startupdreck" link doesn't seem to want to load right now.

    -Da Mose
     

    Attached Files:

  23. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Your .TXT file associations are to C:\windows\notepade.exe

    This is not the valid Microsoft Windows notepad.exe file. You should delete the above file and then reassociate .txt files to the real notepad.exe file which is C:\windows\notepad.exe

    I'm still not sure how all of your programs are loading without the run at Startup lines.
     
  24. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    How do I change that manually, Chaslang?

    -Da Mose
     
  25. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Just go to this page: http://www.dougknox.com/xp/file_assoc.htm

    and get the below registry fix and follow the directions for adding it to your registry.

    TXT File Association Fix


    Did you delete that bogus file?
     
  26. Moses

    Moses Private E-2

    I downloaded that file, but I couldn't find notepade.exe in C:\Windows or C:\Windows\system32.

    -Da Mose
     
  27. bjgarrick

    bjgarrick MajorGeeks Admin - Malware Expert

    Download Pocket KillBox
    (Procede with this step even if they do not show in blue)

    Now, Copy and Paste C:\WINDOWS\notepade.exe into the box – If it exists, it will show up in Blue. Check the option to Delete on Reboot and Click the Red X and Yes to the confirmation message. A message will ask if you want to reboot now – Click YES and allow your PC to reboot.

    • If you get an error message about Pending Operations, just reboot your computer manually.

    After you complete the above, attach a new startup log from HJT. Also check to see if Notepad is working properly now.
     

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