Can not connect to DNS Server

[Guest]

I have a desktop with Vista Home Premium. It connected properly to Internet
until I had to reinstall Windows and Drivers because of a Trojan. Since then,
the connection is very slow and when I run the Diagnostic I get a message
saying that I can not connect to the DNS Server.
I hooked my laptop (with Windows XP) to the same Ethernet cable and I am
able to connect and surf through the web w/o any problem. Any recomendation?

 

[David Dickinson]

Three questions:

1) Exactly what was the infection? (and why did you connect a machine to
the internet that didn't have the Windows firewall (or an adequate
substitute), Windows Defender (or an adequate substitute), and up-to-date
antivirus software properly configured and running?)

2) Before you reinstalled, did you wipe the drive (a low level reformat is a
sure bet)? If you simply reinstalled over the existing installation, there's
a possibility that some operational parts of the trojan or the package that
it carried are still running.

3) If you did do an absolutely clean reinstallation, what exactly (and in
detail) is your network configuration?

NOTE: Optimally configuring Vista is not a task that a layman can perform,
and out-of-the-box installations are never even close to optimal.

 

[Guest]

Hi David,

1. I have a Norton Protection Center installed but for some reason the
Trojan went through it.

2. Before reinstallation, the hard disk was completely wiped out. Everything
was erased (This was done with the help by phone of a Dell representative).

3. As you guessed, I am a layman, and please be more specific what you need
regarding the network configuration and where can I get it on my PC.

Thank you for your help.

David E.