All Microsoft programs do not work!

[Ploper001]

Hi, I've come to stay with my dad for two weeks and have noticed that on his computer no Microsoft programs that I can see work:

- IE7's main tab always says "Connecting..." and the tab is blank.
- Windows Live Messenger never connects and then crashes (no error message, just stops responding)
- Windows Media Player crashes (again no error message, just doesn't respond) after about 1s of being open
- Every now and again I see Explorer taking up numbers like 500MB of RAM and I have to End Process and start it again

He wouldn't have noticed all of this because he only uses the PC for the internet (using Firefox 2 because of another problem with IE6/7 that I concluded was to do with his modem). I have totally reinstalled this copy of Windows fairly recently (which didn't fix the modem-related problems) so I don't know what's going on. Because all of the problems are with Microsoft stuff I thought maybe a shared DLL was corrupted or it had a virus. However, AVG Anti-Virus and Adaware 2007 came up clean.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Lemon13]

put the windows cd in the drive, go to dos-prompt, type sfc /scannow. now all systemfiles will be scanned, and if needed replaced by the originals from cd.
important, after the run, ur system is in the state of ur xp-cd, that means u have to apply the service-packs again if ur original is without sp´s.
what modem do u have and whats the problem with it?

 

[linney]

Do the Microsoft Internet connecting programs work if you test them from Safe Mode With Networking? Or if you test them in Normal Mode but as a different user logon?

Are any of the Microsoft programs set to use any Proxy Server settings?

I'm pretty sure that running SFC /Scannow uses the XP CD and the folder called ServicePackFiles in the Windows folder, which contains all the later files, so there shouldn't be any problems (as mentioned by Lemon13). That type of problem would only come into play if you upgraded from and old XP CD, then you would have to check for updates. A XP SP1 CD cannot upgrade or repair a SP2 install.

 

[GrimR]

If all the above does not work, if you think it's the modems not connecting, remove the tick that says Wait for dial tone before dialing.
try ping microsoft or some web site once connected, check any DNS settings they may exist some viruses that are not picked up still make changes to your DNS.
Media Player can be downloaded here.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/player/11/default.aspx

linney you forgot to add a hyperlink, so I thought I better do it.

 

[Ploper001]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the response. This Windows installation was a slipstream made by me that includes SP2, WMP11 and IE7. They definitely worked fine last time I was here so the slipstream is not the problem.

I have tried under different users and I get the same result. I shall try under Safe Mode with Networking soon. I'll try to dig out that CD and use SFC /scannow as you suggest.

I don't think any of the programs are using proxy. I can't find anything about waiting for a dial tone in the connection's property page (it is an ADSL modem, not 56K so that might be why), and all of the settings in there match the settings on the other PC here and that PC has no problems.

The original problem with the modem was that you'd open up IE6/7, it would connect automatically (as desired), then the entire computer would sort of "freeze". The mouse could be moved but if you went to run anything from the Start Menu or open My Computer then the cursor would go to the "normal mouse plus busy sand timer" icon for 2s then go back to normal and nothing would happen. Then, 5 minutes later, all of the programs you tried to open would all open at once. During the time of the freeze nothing was using any significant CPU or RAM. It was crazy.

 

[Ploper001]

OK the problem did not exist in Safe Mode because the drivers for the modem were never loaded (the connection was not in Network Connections).

SFC /scannow seems to have fixed the problem, although the original problem with the modem still exists. This is not a huge problem though because if you connect to the internet with Firefox 2 instead of IE7 it doesn't freeze for 5 minutes.

I'm going to buy a router and have it delviered by Friday so hopefully that will eliminate the problem completely (it has a modem built in so the computer won't have to dial up every time you log on any more).

 

[gbaughma]

You said that all microsoft programs aren't working.

Does that include Word, Excel, etc? Or just online programs?

If it's just programs that access the Internet, the I would think you may have a corrupted TCP/IP stack.

First, clear all of your temporary internet files in IE.

Then, from a DOS prompt, type the following:

ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset

... and reboot



Just my 2¢
-Cole's Law: Shredded cabbage

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[Lemon13]

how do u connect 2 the modem, by nic or usb?
if u do it by nic, give it a static ip in the range ur adsl modem requires (usally 192.168.x.x i.e 192.168.0.2)

 

[Ploper001]

It is a crappy little modem that just connects by USB.

 

[acewarlock]

Your saying dialup in your posts. ADSL is not a dialup modem and is like a cable modem in that it is on all the time. it looks like your trying to dialup in IE and you should have (never dial a connection) checked.

It works when using Firefox 2, then you have IE programmed to the wrong type of connection.




This is a Signature and not part of the answer, it appears on every reply.

This is an Analogy so don't take it personally as some have.

Why change the engine if all you need is to change the spark plugs.

 

[Ploper001]

No, ADSL is only always on if you have a router (or maybe a decent modem - my cable connection at home is just a modem and that's always on). The ADSL modem here is rubbish and requires dialing 0 every time you logon or connect it. Both IE7 and Firefox have the same connection settings.

By the way, I did say that after the System File Checker run, it's working now...although the freezing thing still exists with IE7.

 

[linney]

As well as Safe Mode With Networking, try the usual IE fixes.

Try IE7 with No Add-ons running.

You could try resetting Internet Explorer settings. (Help and Support article)

"If disabling add-ons doesn't solve the problem, try resetting Internet Explorer back to its default settings. This removes all changes that have been made to Internet Explorer since it was installed, but it does not delete your favorites or feeds.

Close all Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer windows.

Click to open Internet Explorer.

Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.

Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.

Click Reset.

When you are done, click Close, and then click OK.

Close Internet Explorer and reopen it for the changes to take effect."


Here is a similar thread posted by you that ends up blaming things like Google and Windows Live Toolbar as causing the problem. Are they back?

Strange ADSL/IE7 Lockup Issue
thread779-1318039

 

[Ploper001]

Nither of those things work. Yeah that thread went a bit weird because I was talking about two things at once. Basically I did not find a solution to the problem before I had to go home.

However, I have confidence that once the router arrives (and thus I will no longer have to sign-in all the time) the problem will be solved .