Dial Up Networking has Disappeared

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nick Lang
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Nick Lang

I just bought Windows 2000 Professional and loaded it onto
a new hard drive in my laptop. No other programs are on
the machine. I previously had Windows NT and so I am
unfamiliar with 2000.

I tried the Dial-up Networking. I successfully connected
to the internet, but when I clicked on the network icon in
the lower right corner and then clicked on STATUS, I saw
no information. I am used to seeing a status window come
up in NT - with 2000 I couldnt even see the elapsed time
of the connection.

And now, the Networking and Connections window (I think I
have the name right) which started out with an icon
called "Make New Connection" is completely empty - both
the "make new connection" icon and the first configuration
that I created are gone.

What's going on?
 
I would say that you have been unlucky enough to be hit by
the blaster worm already !!! It has a habit of making
windows appear empty. one of the symptoms is if you open
up c:/winnt in a my computer window that should come up
empty too, and the control panel stuff should all appear
on the left hand pane of the window. If this is the case
the follow the instuctions on you AV supplier's site, and
make sure you apply the MS03-026 patch.
 
Actually, Blaster does not have a habit you have
described. This is caused by svchost (and services that
running under it) crashing. It also causes Remote
Procedure Call (RPC) service to stop.

Apparently, KB823980 patch did not really fix the problem
with RPC vulnerability - or it fixed that but broke some
other things (not sure what the right answer is).

I have done a little bit of homework on this issue and
here are some causes and behaviors:

Cause 1: Patched computer gets hit by another, infected
computer.

Cause 2: Patched computer is scanned - the fun part - with
Microsoft's KB823980Scan tool.

Behavior:
1. svchost.exe generates errors and crashes.
2. Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service stops and logs it
in System Log with the Event ID 7031.
3. Cut, Copy and Paste does not work.
4. Drag and Drop does not work.
5. Add/Remove Programs is not being displayed properly.
6. Some functionality of IE is gone.
7. Missing icons from Network and Dial-up Connections.
8. "Web view" on folders does not work (WINNT folder,
System32 folder, Control Panel etc.)

If you start Remote Procedure Call (RPC) back, Cut, Copy
and Paste will be restored, but that's about it. If you
need to, let's say, remove a program, you have to reboot
and try it before svchost crashes again.

The only thing that has worked for me so far, is running a
firewall on the affected computers. Just to clarify, those
symptoms did not appear on all tested machines (about 30-
35) but only on about 4-5. Tested machines are running
Windows 2000 either Server or Pro.

Personally, I see another patch coming from Microsoft to
fix this issue. The question is: WHEN?


Hope this helps for all you researchers out there that are
looking for the same answers/possible resolution to this
problem.

Regards,
Mike

PS. I did not even have Blaster/Welchia/Whatever
virus/worm on my computers. It all happened after
installing KB823980 fix.
 
I am also having this same issue. It is on 3 of my WAN Domain
controllers and is causing all kinds of hell with my Site ans Services
and GPO's. I have had to reboot two to three times a day. When they
come up they are ok for a while but fall apart in a few hours.

Microsoft has a a fix for the empty Network pannel and involves
messing with the Dcom Config. Which is what kb823980 is trying to
fix..... this only happened after I had a blaster break out. I had
them patch weeks earlier, no problems. really wierd.

I also have some win2k Pro. workstations that were infected (msblast)
and having the srvhost.exe crash, but they wern't pathced. It almost
sounds like there is another funny bone in the RPC that has not been
discovered or fixed that the msblast is hiting/exposing.

I'm most likely going to shell out the bucks tomorrow and call
Microsoft Support,.. knowing them they know the problem and have a fix
for it to download,.. IF you call.
 
(e-mail address removed) (ursenj) wrote in message
I think I have a fix for this windows 2000 issue, srvhost.exe
crashing. Just reinstall the KB823980 patch, it fixed all my WAN
servers,. then have been soild for days now.
 
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