W2K SP4 update: can't get to the internet anymore

  • Thread starter Thread starter Willie J Mackey
  • Start date Start date
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Willie J Mackey

Ok, it's all my fault!

I panicked, thinking I had a virus or other "invasion,"
and may have deleted a system file or folder.

I am running Windows 2000 Service Pack 4
with up-to-date McAfee VirusScan and Firewall.

Unfortunately, I don't have an Emergency Recovery Disk
or CD with SP4 on. All I have is the DELL OEM W2k
installation disk that came with my 3-year old laptop,
which is WAY out of date.

For some reason, Internet Explorer will open a window,
but won't actually connect to the internet,
either via a network card or modem call to NetZero.

I normally get to the net or send e-mail,
through my NetGear adapter or modem at Kinko's
or while travelling.

There is nothing wrong with Kinko's, the adapter,
cable or phone line.

IT'S MY LAPTOP's OPERATING SYSTEM.

There is nothing wrong with the WINDOWS UPDATE of
SERVICE PACK 4.

It's me !!! I deleted something I shouldn't have.

If I go to the [DOS-like] command line and
'ping' the Kinko's intranet default gateway,
I just get an a series of error messages.

When properly connect, I don't get those error messages.

When McAfee Firewall indicated an intrusion,
I went looking through the C: drive, WINNT and SYSTEM32
folders for current, mysterious looking files or folders.

At one time, VirusScan scanned all 114,000 files
on my DELL laptop (I have no idea why there are 114k)
and identified/deleted 145 infected files, mostly
temp files or files in the WINNT\SYSTEM32 folder.

Prior to the VirusScan, my laptop had some SERIOUS ISSUES,
but performed perfectly after deleting the infected files.

If I uninstall Service Pack 4 back to SP1,
I can get to the net/www and send e-mail,
but my laptop has serious performance issues and
doesn't properly run Adobe or McAfee software
which require the updated SP's.

I even tried reinstalling SP4, hoping that the
installation would reinstall the 'missing link' files,
but it didn't work.

FYI, I have another DELL laptop, that is still on SP1,
which is why I can rule out the adapter, modem, or
Kinko's as the problem.

There must be some file(s), utility, '.exe' or '.dll'
that sits between Internet Explorer and the internet/www.

Does anyone have a clue?

I am not a techie, but am not completely dumb...just
stupid for panicking and deleting files.

Because I do got out to the net a lot,
I get a lot of mysterious '.exe' and folders
from 'stayathomeshopper' type sites that
PUSH pop-up and other annoying stuff on my laptop.

I CANNOT AFFORD TO INSTALL A NEW/CLEAN VERSION OF
WINDOWS 2000 and lose all of my application programs
and data files.

Try to use the original DELL OEM W2k disk to
"fix" the operating system only adds SP1 files to
SP4 files, which really creates a mess!

Thanks for your assistance!
 
Ok,I saw someone else's response regarding
IE6 and lack of internet access.

If I don't start McAfee Firewall at system startup,
then I can successfully reach the internet.

But disabling Firewall defeats the purpose of
having it on my system, an it used to work ok.

The Firewall activity and warning logs mention,
"Blocked outgoing UDP" and "Blocked outgoing TCP,"
but I can't find anywhere in the help screens
how to "allow" UDP or TCP. The "blocked" messages
started 10 days ago, exactly when I stopped having
access to the net.

The McAfee support site also provides some assistance
http://ts.mcafeehelp.com/default.asp?
siteID=1&cnrcheck=done&resolution=1024x768

Without Firewall activated, the pop-up and other
intrusions are driving me crazy,
but at least, I have a workaround.

I was really losing my mind without net access
for the last 10 days. <g>
 
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