Windows XP always wants to connect to ISP at start-up

[Tony]

Hi
A friend of mine has the following problem.
He is using Windows XP Home edition.
When he starts the computer up as soon as it gets to the desktop it
tries to connect to the internet. It is using the correct phone number
and log in details.
Obviously he wants it to connect when he decides not the computer
deciding for him.
He does not have the virus program set to auto update, and windows is
not Windows XP always wants to connect to ISP at start-upset up to
automatically up date. While I am on that subject when I checked to
see if the box was ticket to allow auto-updates it is all greyed out,
so if you wanted to allow it to do so you can not switch it on. Does
anybody have any idea as to what is telling the dial up to connect at
start up. Just as a point of interest the box that appears when it
tries to connect is not the normal box you get when you connect to the
internet yourself.
Can anybody direct me in the right direction as I am pulling my hair
out trying to find the problem.
Regards
Tony

 

[Michael D. Alligood]

Open IE and click Tools to Options
Under the Connection Tab choose "Never Dial a Connection."

Also check you system for spyware dialers using:

Ad-Aware 6.0 (build 6.181)
http://www.lavasoftusa.com

SpyBot 1.3
http://www.safer-networking.org/

SpyWare Blaster
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html/

HiJackThis
http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

After Spyware / Adware is remove, you may get an error finding files on
reboot

After you use anyone of these programs (with the exception of HiJackThis)
you may receive an error of some sort after rebooting your system. This is
pretty common. Many spyware programs add themselves in the Startup location
and execute when Windows boots. If you receive an error when rebooting after
removing spyware, do not panic. This is more than likely a startup remnant
trying to access the spyware program that is no longer on your computer.
HiJackThis is a great utility to find and remove these startup remnants.
However, there is a less technical way of removing these items:

(1) Click START to RUN and type: msconfig
(2) Select the STARTUP tab
(3) Uncheck the file that pertained to the startup error message you
received
(4) Click APPLY and OK
(5) Reboot your system

If this fails to fix the startup error message after reboot, there are still
options:

(1) Navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\All
Users\StartMenu\Programs\Startup
(2) Delete the icon that pertained to the startup error message you received
(3) Navigate to C:\Documents and
Settings\username\StartMenu\Programs\Startup
(4) Delete the icon that pertained to the startup error message you received
(5) Reboot your system


--
Best of luck!

Michael D. Alligood
MCSA, MCP, CCNA, A+,
Network+, i-Net+, CIW A, CIW CI

 

[Guest]

Tony,

Please see the following instructions.

Spyware/Virus Removal and Prevention:
http://www.fixyourwindows.com/windowsxpsolutions.htm
(Links to online virus scans on the same page)

How to optimize Windows XP, 2000, ME
for the best performance (Step-by-step Visual Guide):
http://www.fixyourwindows.com

Good Luck!