Removing DIal-Up Networking?

[Mikeyis4dcats]

Have a problem with AOL (yeah, I know, I need to get rid of AOL!). They tell me that to solve it, I need to remove the Dial-up networking component in Xp and AOL will reinstall it automatically. She said XP has it's own buil-tin compnonent that it uses, and I needed to call for support from my PC maker. Now, I don't even show any dial-up connections configured, is there something else I'm missing?

 

[WesAZ]

Sorry for the bad support from the AOL rep. I used to work for AOL as a top support rep. First off Win XP does not use Dialup Networking it uses RAS which is Remote Access Service just like Win 2000. RAS cannot be uninstalled from windows like DUN can. If you can tell me what the error message is that you are receiving it will help to fix it, but if your RAS is toast then yes you will need to speak with your manufacturer or Microsoft to remove and reinstall it, because it will have to be done through Regedit and I will not unforunately talk anyone through that because if you get the wrong Reg key then pull out your disk and reformat and reinstall windows.
Wes

 

[Mikeyis4dcats]

Wes, when I first sign on, I get a popup message telling me there is an error with my internet connection, and I should log off, reboot and log back on. Then it allows me to click "Continue" and stay online. I can see AOL fine, but it will not allow me to open web pages inside of AOL, or much of the AOL content (like support and help links...I can open the page showing the categories and lists of topics to look up, then I can click the link, but it opens a blank window that never fills).

I also told her I didn't think XP had DUN, but she insisted it did....

 

[Mikeyis4dcats]

Wes, not that it matters, but my buddy list also does not appear....

 

[WesAZ]

It is all tied up in the same networking thread. Your RAS is all messed up. My best recommendation to correct this issue is to back up all your files that you want to save and reinstall Windows clean from scratch on a reformatted and partition Hard drive. I wish I had a better answer for you but when RAS is messed up that is about all you can do.

You might Reference the following MS KB Articles:
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 314831
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 309553

For the most part when this happens to me I just reformat and I am back on to let you know this has only happened to me personally once and it was when I was trying to fix another problem and reinstalled Windows XP ontop of itself that my RAS got messed up.

 

[Mikeyis4dcats]

Wes, thanks for your help....I'll check it out.