NET command not working 1

[HillTex]

I've got a weird problem that hopefully someone can help me out with. It seems my NET command in Windows 2003 Server has stopped working. At the command prompt, when I type in NET /? or any NET command I get a command prompt. It's like NET.EXE is running CMD.EXE. I've checked the NET.EXE program, and it looks to be correct, I've moved it to another folder and tried running it from there with no luck, I've tried expanding a SP1 install package and expanding the NET.EXE included with it, but every time that I type in NET, it runs CMD. Even NET /? shows the help for CMD. Any suggestions??

Thanks for any help you can give.
Randy

 

[TheLad]

I would suggest that somewhere (probably located in one of the folders in your path statement) you have a CMD.EXE that has been renamed to NET.EXE.

NET.EXE should be located in two places:

C:\Windows\System32
C:\Windows\System32\DllCache

If you delete NET.EXE (or replace NET.EXE) in C:\Windows\System32 then it will automatically be replaced by the copy in the DllCache folder. This is probably where your rogue NET.EXE is and this is also where you need to remove it/copy the proper NET.EXE

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"Insert funny comment in here!"
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[HillTex]

That's what I thought, too. I have already done a search for all NET.EXE, NET.COM, or NET.BAT files, and only have one NET.EXE in C:\Windows\System32 and one NET.EXE in C:\Windows\System32\DllCache

What's really strange is that I can expand a new NET.EXE file to a temporary folder, change to that folder at the command prompt, and when I type NET /? in that folder I get the help screen for CMD. When I type "NET STOP WINS" it just spawns a new CMD shell.

I also noticed in Task Manager that NET.EXE runs NET1.EXE, but I searched for NET1.EXE and only found one copy in C:\Windows\System32 I did the same thing with expanding both files to a temp folder and running from there with no luck.

In further searches for NET.EXE and NET1.EXE I found a lot of chatter about the Nimda Worm, but I have Symantec AntiVirus on the server with the lates defs and scan regularly. Symantec says that there are no viruses or worms.

I am stumped .... any other suggestions ???

Thank you very much for your response to this thread and any help you can give.

 

[HillTex]

Okay .... problem fixed.

Turns out that the NET1.EXE FILE in C:\Windows\System32\DllCache had been copied over by CMD.EXE Any changes I made to NET.EXE, CMD.EXE, or NET1.EXE in C:\Windows\System32 was being undone by the files in DllCache

Thanks for your help, TheLad, you got me pointed in the right direction.