Internet Connection Delays

[Guest]

Hi,

I use Windows XP Pro with SP2 installed, AMD Duron Processor, 946 MHz, 256
MB of RAM. I have an Efficient Ethernet ADSL Speedstream 5100 (4 lights).
The last light, "Activity," never lights up. For the past two years, my
computer could connect to the internet immediately after completely
re-booting.

Approximately 2 months ago, I had my hard drive reformatted. Since then, I
have to wait 90 seconds to connect to the internet after my computer
completely boots up. I also have to wait 90 seconds in order to access
Control Panel > Network Connections. If I do not wait 90 seconds to access
Control Panel > Network Connections, I receive an error message that states
"Cannot load phonebook. Error 5. Access is denied," and there is a yellow
triangle with an exclamation point next to these words.

I have spent approximately 12 hours on the telephone with my computer tech,
several McAfee techs, an SP2 tech, and several techs with my ISP. They had
me run numerous checks on my computer and when all their tests showed that
their program was working properly, they blamed someone else/another program
for the problem.

I have looked throughout my computer for all settings that might be the
cause for this delay. Some of the searches I did alone and others I did with
the above-mentioned techs on the phone. They included:

1. Start > Run > msconfig > uncheck suplerferous programs that don't need to
start when my computer starts.

2. Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > delete ethernet connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > delete internet connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > create new ethernet
connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > create new internet
connection

3. Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties > Connection > Dial-Up and
Virtual Private Networking Settings > Never Dial a Setting is checked
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties > Advanced > Restore Defaults
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties > Security > Medium
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties > Privacy > Medium

4. Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall > On

5. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab > Visual
Effects Tab > Performance > Let Windows Choose what's best for my computer is
checked. All of the boxes in the windows underneath are checked.

6. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab > Advanced Tab

By default, the computer is set to "use a greater share of both processor

time to run your programs" and "a greater share of memory to run your
programs."

7. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab > Data
Execution Prevention Tab > Turn on DEP for essential Windows Programs and
services only is checked.

8. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Remote Tab > Allow Remote
Assistance Invitations to be sent from this computer is checked.

9. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management >
Device Manager > Network Adapters > SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet Adaptor is
present.

10. McAfee VirusScan was Installed, Uninstalled, and re-installed several
times.

11. Turned off the modem, disconnected and reconnected all modem
connections, restarted my computer, waited 10 seconds, turned modem on.

12. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Dialing Rules Tab >
My Location is checked.

13. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Modems Tab > None
Listed.

14. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Advanced Tab >
Microsoft H.323 Telephony Service Provider is highlighted.

15. I have run numerous malicious virus and spyware programs several times
a week, including: McAfee VirusScan, Yahoo Anti-Spy, SpyBot, Spyware
Blaster, Microsoft Malicioius Antivirus Tool, McAfee Stinger, and SysClean
and Trend in safe mode, and win_betaengdat (for DOS scan). All scans show no
viruses, malware, tracking cookies, etc. I always get a clean bill of health.

16. I run defrag on both my hard drives at least once a week.

17. I run a complete chkdsk once every couple of weeks.

18. I check for updates for all the programs listed above at least once a
week and I receive automatic notices that updates are available to be
installed and are downloaded and installed immediately.

19. I empty my Cookies and Temporary Internet Folder prior to shutting down.

20. I run Disk Cleanup for both my hard drives prior to shutting down.

21. I have a 40 Gig C Drive of which 24.2 Gigs are free.

22. I have a partitioned 80 Gig F Drive of which approximately 16 Gigs are
free.

As you can see, my efforts have been enormous for this small problem of
having to wait 90 seconds prior to connecting to the internet after my
computer has completely booted up. However, it never did it before I had my
computer re-formatted and the reason for it is baffling.

Are there any settings that can be changed or procedures performed so that
the problem can be resolved? If you need additional info, please let me know.

Thanks . . . Denise

 

[Mary Sauer]

Some articles
Long delay before files appear in My Computer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;819017
You cannot create a network connection after you restore Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;329441

 

[Guest]

I don't have a long delay before files appear. All my files appear
immediately after my computer boots up. The only two things that don't work
right away is the ability to connect to the internet and Control Panel >
Network Connections. The icons appear, but they cannot be used.

I went to the first site that you gave me the link for. The directions
included:

I have performed those procedures and they didn't cure the problem. I still
have to wait 90 seconds to connect to the internet and to open Control Panel

Network Connections after I boot my computer. All other files continue to

appear immediately after booting my computer.

Denise

 

[ianw1974]

Hi,

I use Windows XP Pro with SP2 installed, AMD Duron Processor,
946 MHz, 256
MB of RAM. I have an Efficient Ethernet ADSL Speedstream 5100
(4 lights).
The last light, "Activity," never lights up. For the past two
years, my
computer could connect to the internet immediately after
completely
re-booting.

Approximately 2 months ago, I had my hard drive reformatted.
Since then, I
have to wait 90 seconds to connect to the internet after my
computer
completely boots up. I also have to wait 90 seconds in order
to access
Control Panel > Network Connections. If I do not wait 90
seconds to access
Control Panel > Network Connections, I receive an error
message that states
"Cannot load phonebook. Error 5. Access is denied," and
there is a yellow
triangle with an exclamation point next to these words.

I have spent approximately 12 hours on the telephone with my
computer tech,
several McAfee techs, an SP2 tech, and several techs with my
ISP. They had
me run numerous checks on my computer and when all their tests
showed that
their program was working properly, they blamed someone
else/another program
for the problem.

I have looked throughout my computer for all settings that
might be the
cause for this delay. Some of the searches I did alone and
others I did with
the above-mentioned techs on the phone. They included:

1. Start > Run > msconfig > uncheck suplerferous programs that
don't need to
start when my computer starts.

2. Start > Control Panel > Network Connections > delete
ethernet connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections >
delete internet connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections >
create new ethernet
connection
Start > Control Panel > Network Connections >
create new internet
connection

3. Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties > Connection >
Dial-Up and
Virtual Private Networking Settings > Never Dial a Setting is
checked
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties >
Advanced > Restore Defaults
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties >
Security > Medium
Start > Control Panel > Internet Properties >
Privacy > Medium

4. Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall > On

5. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab >
Visual
Effects Tab > Performance > Let Windows Choose what's best for
my computer is
checked. All of the boxes in the windows underneath are
checked.

6. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab >
Advanced Tab
both processor
time to run your programs" and "a greater share of memory to
run your
programs."

7. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Advanced Tab >
Data
Execution Prevention Tab > Turn on DEP for essential Windows
Programs and
services only is checked.

8. Start > Control Panel > System Properties > Remote Tab >
Allow Remote
Assistance Invitations to be sent from this computer is
checked.

9. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer
Management >
Device Manager > Network Adapters > SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet
Adaptor is
present.

10. McAfee VirusScan was Installed, Uninstalled, and
re-installed several
times.

11. Turned off the modem, disconnected and reconnected all
modem
connections, restarted my computer, waited 10 seconds, turned
modem on.

12. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Dialing
Rules Tab >
My Location is checked.

13. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options > Modems
Tab > None
Listed.

14. Start > Control Panel > Phone and Modem Options >
Advanced Tab >
Microsoft H.323 Telephony Service Provider is highlighted.

15. I have run numerous malicious virus and spyware programs
several times
a week, including: McAfee VirusScan, Yahoo Anti-Spy, SpyBot,
Spyware
Blaster, Microsoft Malicioius Antivirus Tool, McAfee Stinger,
and SysClean
and Trend in safe mode, and win_betaengdat (for DOS scan).
All scans show no
viruses, malware, tracking cookies, etc. I always get a clean
bill of health.

16. I run defrag on both my hard drives at least once a week.

17. I run a complete chkdsk once every couple of weeks.

18. I check for updates for all the programs listed above at
least once a
week and I receive automatic notices that updates are
available to be
installed and are downloaded and installed immediately.

19. I empty my Cookies and Temporary Internet Folder prior to
shutting down.

20. I run Disk Cleanup for both my hard drives prior to
shutting down.

21. I have a 40 Gig C Drive of which 24.2 Gigs are free.

22. I have a partitioned 80 Gig F Drive of which
approximately 16 Gigs are
free.

As you can see, my efforts have been enormous for this small
problem of
having to wait 90 seconds prior to connecting to the internet
after my
computer has completely booted up. However, it never did it
before I had my
computer re-formatted and the reason for it is baffling.

Are there any settings that can be changed or procedures
performed so that
the problem can be resolved? If you need additional info,
please let me know.

Thanks . . . Denise

Have you found that this has only happened since you applied SP2? Was
it working fine before SP2 was applied?

I have found problems with some applications, relating to DEP. To
turn it off, if you edit the BOOT.INI and change OptIn to AlwaysOff.
This will disable DEP for the whole system, as some apps don’t work
when it’s enabled.

If you don’t want to disable DEP completely, then you can change one
of the Options in DEP to only allow it to work unless you specify
which progs not to work for. Personally, I don’t think it matters
disabling it completely, as long as you are careful not to run
attachments from emails that are dodgy, and other related things such
as this. Scan for spyware regularly too, best prog I’ve found is
Spyware Doctor.

Let us know how you get on!

 

[Guest]

Hi Ian,

I had SP2 installed prior to having my computer reformatted and I didn't
have to wait 90 seconds to connect to the internet or go into Control Panel >
Network Connections after booting my computer.

After I had my computer reformatted, it immediately began to have the
90-second wait period before I could connect to the internet and go into
Control Panel > Network Connections.

After downloading SP2, I still had to wait 90 seconds to connect to the
internet and go into Control Panel > Network Connections.

Denise

 

[Guest]

Have you found that this has only happened since you applied SP2? Was
it working fine before SP2 was applied?

I have found problems with some applications, relating to DEP. To
turn it off, if you edit the BOOT.INI and change OptIn to AlwaysOff.
This will disable DEP for the whole system, as some apps don’t work
when it’s enabled.

If you don’t want to disable DEP completely, then you can change one
of the Options in DEP to only allow it to work unless you specify
which progs not to work for. Personally, I don’t think it matters
disabling it completely, as long as you are careful not to run
attachments from emails that are dodgy, and other related things such
as this. Scan for spyware regularly too, best prog I’ve found is
Spyware Doctor.

Let us know how you get on!

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Hi Ian,

I turned DEP off completely, rebooted my computer, and I still had to wait
90 seconds. I then changed it to allow me to specify the programs that I
didn't want it to work for but I left the box blank. When I rebooted my
computer, I still had to wait 90 seconds to connect to the internet, so that
DEP isn't causing this problem.

However, when I rebooted my computer, each time I received the following
message after I changed the DEP setting: "The System Configuratin is
currently in Diagnostic Mode, causing this message to be displayed and the
utility to run everytime Windows starts. Choose the Normal Startup Mode on
the general tab to start Windows normally and undo the changes you made using
the System Configuration Utility." If I select the option for Normal Startup
Mode, every program that I have installed in my computer starts when my
computer boots up. I very rarely use these programs, such as WinZip, Corel
Calculator, etc. When I need them, I have a folder of shortcuts on my
desktop for each program in my computer. However, I followed the directions
but it didn't eliminate the 90-second wait time.

For a time now, I have been noticing that just prior to the end of the 90
seconds, the icons on my desktop change into a different icon that's a square
with 6 colored boxes inside the square, and they then change back to the
correct icon within 2 seconds. At the end of the 2 seconds, my computer
makes an "eh" sound. At this time, I can connect to the internet.

Denise

 

[Guest]

you need to establish where the delay actually is.

Do a tracert to BBC.co,uk and post hte result here, after deleting the
ip addresses of the first 3 hops (dont want to reveal THEM on a public
forum!!)

to do this do:

START/RUN/COMMAND

then type at the C:\ prompt

tracert bbc.co.uk

and you shoudl get something like:

1 1 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.2.1
2 11 ms 7 ms 10 ms xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
3 46 ms 14 ms 13 ms xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
4 13 ms 14 ms 15 ms nott-t2core-a-ge-wan71.inet.ntl.com
[80.1.79.57]

5 17 ms 15 ms 16 ms lee-bb-a-so-300-0.inet.ntl.com
[62.253.185.33]
6 48 ms 21 ms 42 ms pop-bb-b-so-100-0.inet.ntl.com
[62.253.185.238]

7 17 ms 18 ms 16 ms pop-bb-a-ae0-0.inet.ntl.com
[213.105.172.78]
8 207 ms * 229 ms tele-ic-2-so-010-0.inet.ntl.com
[62.253.185.86]

9 200 ms 92 ms 19 ms ntl-ge2-8.prt0.thdo.bbc.co.uk
[212.58.239.217]
10 19 ms 17 ms 18 ms 212.58.238.129
11 18 ms 19 ms 18 ms 212.58.238.34
12 19 ms 21 ms 20 ms pos6-0.rt0.mh.bbc.co.uk
[212.58.239.30]
13 19 ms 20 ms 18 ms bogons.mh.bbc.co.uk [212.58.228.154]

what we are interested in is the first three or four hops. We need to
ensure we have small hops to show the connection is running ok.

=================================================

Hi guest,

Thanks for responding. I ran the program but I don't know what an IP
address is or what it looks like. Mine lines are very different than yours
so I felt uncomfortable with posting them here in case I did post an IP
address.

The 1st line looks like 64-xxxxxxx.adsxxxxxx.net [xx.xxx.xxx.xxx] Address
line?

The 2nd line starts with distxxxxxxx-vlanxxxxxxxxx.net [xx.xxx.xxx.xxx]
Address line?

The 3rd and 4th line starts with bb1-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.net
[xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx] Address line?

The 5th lines starts with bb2-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.net [xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx]
Address line?

Lines 6 thru 12 are:

6 82 ms 80 ms 81 ms bb1-p13-3.linxuk.sbcglobal.net
[151.164.41.247}
7 81 ms 81 ms 82 ms ex1-p5-0.linxuk.sbcglobal.net [151.164.41.244]
8 82 ms 82 ms 217 ms bbc-gw0-linx.prt0.thdoe.bbc.co.uk
[195.66.224.103]
9 82 ms 81 ms 81 ms 212.58.238.129
10 81 ms 81 ms 81 ms 212.58.238.33
11 83 ms 83 ms 83 ms pos6-0.rt1.mh.bbc.co.uk [212.58.239.254]
12 84 ms 83 ms 83 ms bogons.mh.bbc.co.uk [212.58.228.154]
Trace complete

Also, my ISP was out of service for 3 hours tonight. I didn't know it but
when I couldn't get onto the internet, I thought it might have been because I
changed settings or ran this program, so I deleted my DSL connection and
created a new connection 2 times. After the 2nd connection failed, I called
my ISP and found out it was a problem on their end. I'm not sure if this
will affect the hops.

I'll give you any characters you need for lines 1 through 5 once you let me
know what to look for so that I won't post IP addresses.

Denise

 

[Guest]

the first three numbers are the delay in milliseconds. they should be
low, ie around 20 - 50 milliseconds. If they are (and the one you
posted do) then in the 7 layer OSI model, the delays can only be
occurring in the top 3 layers:

Layer 7: Application Layer
Defines interface to user processes for communication and data transfer
in network

Provides standardized services such as virtual terminal, file and job
transfer and operations

Layer 6: Presentation Layer
Masks the differences of data formats between dissimilar systems

Specifies architecture-independent data transfer format
Encodes and decodes data; Encrypts and decrypts data; Compresses and
decompresses data

Layer 5: Session Layer
Manages user sessions and dialogues
Controls establishment and termination of logic links between users

Reports upper layer errors


So the next step is a bit trickier, although weve just eliminated 4/7
of the potential sources. WE need to test layer 7. this you do by
watching your download speed on ftp. (Sorry about this, its something
deep inside the system thats making you slow, its not easy to find).
You dont state what speed your internet connection is, but we need to
establish if its just HTTP thats slow, or does it affect FTP as well.

There is always the option of replacing all 3 layers by totally
uninstalling the NIC, the network connections and all the compenents
associated with networking, then putting the NIC back in and
reinstalling all the networking. My guess at this stage is that theres
something odd in the TCP protocol installation.

dont you just love IP........... :-/

===============================================

I would have a love/hate relationship with IP if I knew what it was, but
since I don't, you'll have to tell me.

My computer isn't on a network, it's a stand alone. My DSL speed is 100 Mbps.

I'm pretty good at following directions with software but if any work needs
to be done on the hardware, I'd have to take my computer to somebody. I just
had new RAM put into my computer when it was reformatted about 2 months ago,
a new CDRW and I purchased and installed McAfee VirusScan (which I don't like
but I'm stuck with it for $100.00). Tests show that my RAM is operating
perfectly. I don't know of any tests to tell if there's an issue with the
CDRW but it works with no problems at all, quick and with good results, and I
use it often.

Did the tracert show that there may be a problem with my ethernet/modem?
The fourth light, "activity," used to be on steadily when I was on the
internet. Now it just blinks occasionally. When I'm on the internet, my
computer never freezes or crashes, even if it's been on for 24+ hours with a
lot of use (downloading, running several programs for music, pictures, etc).

I believe you mentioned that I need to watch my download speed on layer 7?
How do I do that or what should I do next?

Denise

 

[Guest]

essentially, its steps 2 9 11 and 14 as you listed in the first post -
remove everything, reboot, reinstall everything, reboot.

==================================================

Are you saying that I need to removed everything from my computer? All
files, the Windows program, etc?

Denise

 

[Guest]

What is the NIc that I have to plug in again? I don't know that abbreviation.

 

[Guest]

If I put the XP CD back in and run the 'Repair' option, will it
delete/overwrite any folders/files or programs that I've installed, or
anything else like that?

Denise
===========================