Unknown Folder in Network Places

[DeeAitch]

I have found 2 unknown folders in Network Places on
Windows XP while going in to troubleshoot a slow
connection (Local Area Connection)

The first one I found was called Internet Gateway. When I
double-clicked it to view send/receive it was active and
in its 39th day!!! I could not delete it or remove it by
any means. I shut down the computer and pulled the DSL
cable and the next day this mysterious icon was gone.

After downloading extensive security patches today -
which was odd, because I thought I was up to date - and
restarting my computer, I found another unknown
folder/icon in Network Places: ftp.microsoft.com. This
folder contained many sub folders including ReadMe's and
one called DevCast and was talking in references to
microsoft release information from 1994 and 1995.

There was an e mail address in one of the ReadMe's which
was (e-mail address removed). I sent them - "it" - an e mail
asking for clarification. This was 30 minutes ago, so I
assume it won't be kicked back, but WHAT IS THIS STUFF?

Does anyone out there have an idea for me? I believe I
have more than adequate protection on this computer but
hings are happeneing that are weird. Thanks in advance.

DeeAitch

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

Neither of those things are things to worry about.

The Internet Gatway icon was probably just showing you your connection to
your router-- some models are detected by Windows and displayed in that way.

The ftp.microsoft.com icon was just a shortcut to one of Microsoft's
servers. I guess you had connected to it recently for some reason: it's
just putting an icon there to make it easy for you to find it again. When
you clicked on it, you were connecting to that server and viewing the
information that was available on it. (It's all public info.)

This is just the normal way that the "My Network Places" area works: it
shows you links to resources on your network or other resources that you
have recently used.

 

[DeeAitch]

Thanks for the quick response. I know who you are from a
help page that I discovered, which included yourself and
other MVP's, while researching this unusual file.

The 39 day duration thing in the properties of the
Internet Gateway icon, and the fact that I couldn't
delete it, really throws me. I reiterate, there were 2
connections running at the same time. One, my normal
connection (LAN) icon and this "other" one. I have
checked all my XP systems at work for this and none of
them displays an icon like I've described.

I checked with D-Link and they said aboslutely: NO icons
in Network settings from their product. The same with
SBC/DSL service - "you should only see your Local Area
Network Connection icon (realTech, enabled, Firewall etc)
in the View Network Connections folder" Hmmm . . .

The microsoft one seems odd to me but I was checking the
compatibility info on MS.com the other night because of a
scary install of an Audigy sound card which has turned my
computer into a mess of RUN.dll errors and crashes over
the last 7 days. That's a nightmare issue by itself and,
one which I need some other help with . . .

Anyway, thanks for the reply. I will defer to your
experience. Still doesn't seem right to me.

DeeAitch

 

[Colin Nash [MVP]]

Here's the info about the automatic detection of "Internet Gateway" devices.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=821371

 

[DeeAitch]

Thanks Colin,

I don't know . . . I read, or rather, stepped slowly
through, the article about UPnP and IGD's but, I still
think my situation is different. My D-Link router is not
wireless - it's a hard-wired set up: DSL service into the
speedstream modem, into the D-Link router, connection
from my computer to the router and from the router to the
computer upstairs.

The connection is always on and there is no change in
status. If I turn off the modem or the router, or pull
the plug, When I turn it back on does Windows recognize
the connection with an IGD icon? No. I just tried this
last night and again today.

As I said, I've never seen this icon before, nor have I
since. Also, there were no controls available for this
connection - it was just there; unmoveable and
unchangeable.

Anyway, I really appreciate your taking the time to send
me this article. Now, I have to figure out why every time
I reboot the computer Windows tells me a serious error
just occured but the computer did not hang or shut down.
Ghosts in the machine? Thanks again.

Dave Hill