can't find server

I have a frustrating problem with my desktop running Win 2K Pro, with Kaspersky 6.0 and Zone Alarm personal firewall. For the last two days, I get a can't find server or DNS error when trying to access the internet, and " the host could not be found..blah blah.. Protocol POP3, Port 110, Secure SSL; no socket error: 1022, error No 0x800CCC0D" when trying to get email.

The problem started after trying to download and install a shareware engineering program from www.pwr-tools.com - a member of Association for Shareware Professionals, and OISV. The download took over 10 minutes on a cable modem. After trying to install on my secondary hard drive, I could not get onto the internet.

Trying to re-establish a connection, but message was that ethernet cable was disconnected. Tried new cable - no change. Tried changing the PCI slot of the ethernet module - no change. Lap top works with wireless so cable modem is ok. Ran ethernet cable to laptop- that works. Ran ethernet cable from desktop to cable modem - bypassing router - that did not work. Bought new Ethernet PCI module - did not work.

I rebooted into bios - and looked at PCI connections in advanced section. I have 5 slots, and 5 PCIs were listed, however, I could only arrow down from 1 to 4. I rebooted in safe mode with networking, and could get on the internet as wel as my email. Went to Microsoft and redownloaded IE6 servfice pack 1. No change. Downloaded Mozilla Firefox but could not get a web page - only a white screen under the tool bar.

While fighting through this over the last two days, I did receive an alert from Kaspersky Proactive defense that HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\control set 004\services\NMSCFG is trying to gain write access to a list of system services - value Imagepath - whatever that means?? I did not allow this as I was not familiar with it and had not done anything to initiate a call for anything.

Now while I can't access the internet, Kaspersky has been able to go out and get updated signatures. I used the CMD ping yahoo and got a reply. When I do a CMD ipconfig, I show an IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, but under media state it says cable disconnected.

I don't know if I have a software problem, a harware problem, or a virus problem. Oh yeah - about a month ago, I wanted to install Comodo Personal Firewall, but the install wizard never showed up after opening the files, so I settled for Zone Alarm. Prior to getting Kaspersky 6.0 and Zone Alarm, I had let my Trend PC Cillin lapse for lack of bucks. It was intact but not current.

Any ideas of what to try next??

 

Post the complete output of 'ipconfig /all' and try running LSP fix.
Also try uninstalling or at least disabling zonealarm and check your DNS settings.
Check this MSKB article too.

 

Erikske: I downloaded the LSP fix to my laptop and transfered to my desktop. It found no problems. I have already set program control for Zone Alarm to off, and paused protection with Kaspersky, and still could not get connected. I am a little nervous about uninstalling Zone Alarm, as I had such a difficult time getting a firewall to download and install. Do you think it is worth the risk to uninstall given the difficulty I had in getting it to load in the first place?

I ran the ipconfig/all command and tried to copy via ctrl C, but when I tried to paste in a word doc to transfer to my laptop so that I could get it to this forum, that option was not available. Any suggestions on how to get that info from a dead computer to this posting? Is there something specific you are looking for that I can tell you what value is displayed?

I looked at the MSKB article, but unclear on what they are saying when told to open a command prompt on hte exchange server computer. This stuff is all new to me so pardon my ignorance.

Any more advice?

 

What 'difficulties' did you encounter?
Try disabling ZoneAlarm's firewall (not the same as Program Control) or exit it completely. If this restores your internet connection, we know the cause.
The cause has to be software related, as internet works in safe mode.

 

Difficulties were in actually downloading a firewall. I originally wanted to download Comodo, but after the download file "box" disappeared, I was prompted to disable any third party firewalls and click ok. Since I had already uninstalled Trend PC Cillin, and CA AV products, I should not have had any firewalls, yet after clicking OK, all boxes/popups disappeared, and nothing else proceeded. From loading Comodo on my laptop, I know that an install wizard should have started up.

So then I tried Zone Alarm, but while trying to install it, my computer locked up, and I had to reboot in safe mode to correct issues.

Comodo forums recommended that I scan with numerous other free scan services from other AV vendors to insure that I got a good mix of weapons aimed at the problem. However, upon downloading Webroots new AV/FW scan, my computer locked up again, and I had to contact their tech help to reboot in safe mode and download their cleanup utility. Their tech help incidentally was superb.

Spybot S&D would not download. Anything security oriented would not download, yet other programs would download with no problem. Since I had been notified by Kaspersky upon loading, that it had found an Invader trojan, and Backdoor trojan, I suspected that I had a security problem, and contacted their tech help. While their product might be highly rated, their approach to tech help is that it detracts fromj profits, and they make it extremely difficult to contact a person, don't respond to email requests, and offer weak solutions/suggestions when you finally do get in touch. Very unhappy with the product.

In desperation, I tried Zone Alarm for a 4th time, and low and behold it loaded. Everything worked fine for a month till this problem of not being able to connect to the internet started last week. I have disabled the program and still can't get a connection.

Meanwhile, Kaspersky periodically notifies me that Microsoft Intellitype Pro is trying to acces the internet (I deny), and that Process PID 1048 tried to access Kaspersky Anti-virus 6.0 process PID 680 but has been blocked. Then within a minute of that event, I will get a notice that Running process C:\Program Files\Microsoft Hardware\Keyboard\type 32.exe: detected a new variant of riskware Invader(loader).

I am not sure if my problem is software related or malware related, or caused by security programs not really being written to work on Windows 2K pro, and causing glitches. Any ideas what to try next?

 

Ah, you are using Kaspersky Internet Security... Thought you meant AV.
You should only run one firewall and one AntiVirus program (free online scans are allowed), or they will conflict with each other. Using multiple firewalls can destroy your internet connection.
Disable all your firewalls, that is kaspersky, zonealarm and any other firewalls running. Try again.
If your computer still refuses to cooperate, run through this MSKB article

 

Erikske: I am running Kaspersky 6.0 - virus protection only. For my firewall, I am running Zone Alarm free personal firewall. The interesting thing about your comment about multiple firewalls destroying my interent connection is that I had the problem with Comodo, where it thought that I had a 3rd party firewall when I did not.

I had been using PC-Cillin, but let the subscription to update signatures lapse due to a shortage of yen. Then I got a free copy of CA security suite with the purchase of a 1 gig jump drive from Tiger Direct, so I uninstalled PC Cillin, and installed CA. I was not overly impressed with CA, so I got Kaspersky 6.0, and uninstalled CA. THEN I tried downloading Comodo only to have the problems described previously. While fighting that situation, I contacted Trend as well as CA, and received utilities from them to eliminate any traces left behind from the uninstall routine, thinking that might be interfering with my Comodo download.

Once Kaspersky and Zone Alarm were installed, I was operating just fine for about a month before this latest issue. Hope that clears up some questions.