Lost Internet Connection after using Ad Aware

[Dan M]

I recently decided to use Ad-Aware to remove all the annoying
spyware/malware/... software that has been slowing down my machine. In
doing so I have managed to lose my internet connection.

There are many posts that suggest solutions to this problem but none
of them have worked for me. Here are the things that I have tried:

Revert to a previous System Restore point (none of the points will
work)
Downloaded and run LSPfix.exe
Downloaded and run WinSockFix.exe
Restored all quarantined objects in Ad-Aware and rerun LSPfix and
WinSockFix

Does anyone have any further suggestions? I know that I can wipe the
harddrive and reinstall Windows XP but I'd rather not have to take
that action if possible.

Thanks for your help.

Dan

 

[Malke]

I recently decided to use Ad-Aware to remove all the annoying
spyware/malware/... software that has been slowing down my machine. In
doing so I have managed to lose my internet connection.

There are many posts that suggest solutions to this problem but none
of them have worked for me. Here are the things that I have tried:

Revert to a previous System Restore point (none of the points will
work)
Downloaded and run LSPfix.exe
Downloaded and run WinSockFix.exe
Restored all quarantined objects in Ad-Aware and rerun LSPfix and
WinSockFix

Does anyone have any further suggestions? I know that I can wipe the
harddrive and reinstall Windows XP but I'd rather not have to take
that action if possible.

Hi, Dan. I have a few suggestions for you to try.

1. I assume you also scanned with a current version (not earlier than
2003) antivirus using updated definitions in Safe Mode?

2. Check your hosts file, as follows:

a. In XP's Search preferences, set the files and folders handling to
Advanced, and then check the box that will make Search look in hidden
files/folders.
b. Now enter the search term "hosts" without the quotes.
c. You may get several hosts and lmhosts files. Double-click each one to
open it. When you do this, you'll get a Windows dialog box saying that
Windows cannot open this file, do you want to use the web or select
from a list to find the proper program. Choose "select from a list" and
highlight Notepad. Make sure the box to always use this program to open
this type of file is not checked.
d. Now carefully examine the file. Lines that begin with a # are
comments and don't count. Leave them alone. Unless you know you use a
proxy server to get to the Internet or you added entries yourself, the
only uncommented entry that should be there is:

127.0.0.1 localhost

If you see any other entries, delete them and Save the file. Make sure
you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the window if there is a
scrollbar.

3. You didn't say how you get to the Internet. Dialup? Cable/dsl? Look
in Device Manager for the device you use - if dialup, it will be your
modem; if cable/dsl, it will probably be your ethernet network adapter
(nic) unless you connect to a cable/dsl modem with usb. Do all the
devices look like they are working properly? Any yellow exclamation
marks next to them? If you see any of those, reinstall the drivers for
the device.

Before we go further, check out the above items and post back with more
information about your Internet connection.

Malke

 

[Carey Holzman]

You need tip #3 at
www.careyholzman.com/netfixes.htm

Carey