Explorer Hijacked? XP Pro acting strangely

[trybry]

Hi,

I was trying to help a friend who's Internet Explorer wasn't working.

I noticed that his DSL connection speed (formerly 100 Mbps), was now
reading 400 Mbps.

I also noticed that the connection #2 (Ethernet) was renamed 1394.

After treating with:

Spyware Blaster
Ad-Ware SE
Spybot
Hijack
Avast AV
Zonealarm Security Suite

I found nothing really nasty on the machine.

After many cleanings:

Intial prob:
The 1394 connection remained, even after deleting it with Device Mgr
The 1394 connection would re-install after rebootp.
Explorer 6.0 failed to work, even after upgrading to IE 7.
IE 7 failed too.
Reverting back to IE 6 no made difference either.
How do remove IE from XP Pro, when it doesn't show up in any program
removal control pannel programs?

Initial repair:
After a few repairs only Mozilla connects to the net temporarly.
After a few attempted connections using Explorer, I again lost my DSL
connection. His wife's computer IE has also failed (XP HE) (Diff HP
Model). She not experiencing any recourring problems after my repair.
other than IE 6 is not working.

Explorer 6 & 7 seems to try and connect.
IE is ising very odd comboinations of web addresses: Yahoo.com.org or
Yahoo.org.+ something
It also tries to log on to: SAVVIS COMMUNICATIONS
(NET-167-215-0-0-1) 167.215.0.0 - 167.215.255.255 or somewhat simulair
to that address.

Initially I could not get a wire-less connection to the web.
I also had problems with the realtek 54 connection via Ethernet.

Once I was able to re-establish a temp DSL (Wireless and Ethernet)
The wireless connection was cut in half to 54 Mbps (this occurs on
both computers)

Post repair:

I tried to fix Explorer and each time I waited for it to load a page
more problems popped up. It never go past 3 bars on the progress meter

I feel like what ever is in the machine or browser, can rebuild itself
while I watch the progress bar go from 1 bar to 3 bars and then stop.

It has gone full circle and now Niether browser Mozilla or Explorer
can access the net. (his machine only)

I also tried to download the latest MS updates, but without explorer,
it only loads up to 5% and stopps.

The Ashtray stopped showing the inactive icons, Even though I asked
the system to repair it. The system is non responsive to my attempts
to correct it.

What is it, causing the problem?

How can I fix them?

The system is XP Pro, he bought the machine an HP (pavillion zv 5000
series), bought 2nd hand without the operating disks. Is there any way
to make the repairs?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[Guest]

Internet explorer is built in to windows.
Try repairing windows:
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

Jonty
Support Assistant

 

[trybry]

Internet explorer is built in to windows.
Try repairing windows:http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

Jonty
Support Assistant

Don't know if I should have cut my original post.

But he bought it 2nd hand and doesn't have the XP Pro disk.

I hope this isn't a fire storm question, but can I use a XP HE SP2
disk?

Thanks for your reply

 

[Rock]

Don't know if I should have cut my original post.

But he bought it 2nd hand and doesn't have the XP Pro disk.

I hope this isn't a fire storm question, but can I use a XP HE SP2
disk?

No, it has to be the same type. So if his installation is Pro, you have to
use a Pro CD of the same type, ie OEM, v. Upgrade, v. full retail. And it
has to be at the same SP level. During a repair install you have to enter
the product key, in this case you would use his product key, but that has to
match the CD type you're using.

 

[Nightowl]

Don't know if I should have cut my original post.

But he bought it 2nd hand and doesn't have the XP Pro disk.

I hope this isn't a fire storm question, but can I use a XP HE SP2
disk?

trybry, it may not be a reinstall issue. . . I think you may be trying
to use the wrong connection.

Here's a quote from an article on Windows IT Pro:

Q: What is a 1394 connection?

A. New Windows XP users might notice a new network device labeled 1394
Connection on their system. This network device is actually your
FireWire card. Although most users use FireWire to connect video and
storage peripherals, Microsoft chose to list FireWire as a network
device, which might confuse some users. Either you can ignore this
connection, or you can disable it by right-clicking the connection from
within Network Connections (from the Start menu, go to Settings, Network
Connections) and selecting Disable.

And a comment:

The 1394 Network isn't there just because Microsoft choose to list it
there. It's a real network adapter, one that works at 400Mbit/s instead
of 100Mbit/s. If you have a firewire adapter on your desktop computer
and on your laptop it's a lot better using the 1394 ports to connect
them than using the normal lan port.

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/22718/22718.html

Maybe you just need to reinstall your ethernet adapter and drivers. . .

Hope this helps.

 

[trybry]

(e-mail address removed) wrote on Sun, 11 Feb 2007:




trybry, it may not be a reinstall issue. . . I think you may be trying
to use the wrong connection.

Here's a quote from an article on Windows IT Pro:

Q: What is a 1394 connection?

A. New Windows XP users might notice a new network device labeled 1394
Connection on their system. This network device is actually your
FireWire card. Although most users use FireWire to connect video and
storage peripherals, Microsoft chose to list FireWire as a network
device, which might confuse some users. Either you can ignore this
connection, or you can disable it by right-clicking the connection from
within Network Connections (from the Start menu, go to Settings, Network
Connections) and selecting Disable.

And a comment:

The 1394 Network isn't there just because Microsoft choose to list it
there. It's a real network adapter, one that works at 400Mbit/s instead
of 100Mbit/s. If you have a firewire adapter on your desktop computer
and on your laptop it's a lot better using the 1394 ports to connect
them than using the normal lan port.

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/22718/22718.html

Maybe you just need to reinstall your ethernet adapter and drivers. . .

Hope this helps.

Thanks Nightowl

That's a relief!

I will read info from the link provided. It may shed more light on why
it tries to run my DSL connection.
It also replaced the former Ethernet DSL connection too.

One more piece of the puzzle explained.

Now I need to fix, my hijacked IE browser.

Thanks again!