I have been working with Safer-networking on removing some malware. They told me that this forum could help me restore the network so Safer could finish the malware process. In the process malware infected a chain to get onto the internet. I cannot get online to finish the removal process. Can you please help me restore my internet connection?
Here is what they posted as the problem: This is from your Hijackthis log
O10 - Broken Internet access because of LSP chain gap (#1 in chain of 17 missing)
Also when I startup the compuuter and log on these things popup.
Svchost.exe - Application Error The instruction at "0x7d4caa9b" referenced memory at 0x00000010". The memory could not be "read".
SyncDll with a caution sign
Maxmenumgr - the TCP/IP protocol is not installed properly
An existing critical communications file (C:\WINDOWS\system32\WS2_32.dll) is no longer valid. Microsoft ActiveSync cannot establish a connection with the mobile device until this file has been replaced. To correct this problem, reinstall windows, or replace the file with a newer version.
I don't know if they are related to the network or not.
Malware has increasingly invaded the basic files of Windows operating system in order to do their dirty-work and try to remain undetected.
When malware invades one of these files, it may cease to function, or it may change how it functions, leading to browser hijack and other malicious activity.
When a Malware Removal specialist helps you scan your machine to identify and remove malicious content, what may be removed could be a malicious file that had already been substituted for the proper Windows file. Removing the malicious substitute may get rid of the malware, but leave Windows without a necessary file to perform normally.
That's apparently what has happened in your situation.
What we need to do is allow Windows to take an inventory of needed files, and replace any missing or corrupted files.
Windows File Protection - System File Checker (SFC) is a native XP utility that you have on your machine that can do just this very function.
You appear to have an HP machine running XP Home, updated to Service Pack 3 (SP3)
***Please correct me if I'm mistaken.
HP may or may not have included XP installation CD when you purchased the machine.
Do you have such a CD?
If you do, please tell me "exactly" how it is labeled.
For instance, does it have the brand-name Hewlet Packard, or state that it is "only" for installation on HP machines that have OEM operating system installed?
Or For instance, is your XP installation CD labeled by Microsoft as Retail, OEM, or upgrade?
Not all HP installation CDs for XP operating system have all of the files that we may need.
Please tell me what XP installation CD you may have in your possession.
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You can go ahead and give SFC a try.
Then post back with your results or any issues you may have encountered.
Here's how:
Start - Run - (type)cmd - press enter
You should now be looking at a DOS type black box with a blinking cursor.
It should read: C:\Documents and Settings\(your user name)>_
At the blinking cursor, please (type)sfc /scannow – and then press - Enter <– note the required space betweeb c /
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SFC may prompt you to insert your XP installation CD – please do so.
If SFC complains that you have inserted the wrong disk, please let me know. (there's a work-around)
If SFC is able to run, it will probably take more than 3 minutes and less than 10 minutes.
If SFC opens and closes almost instantaneously, then it failed to run.
There will not be a written log file report. That's OK.
You may notice that SFC progresses without any changes, or that it pauses to find and replace one or more file.
It's about as exciting as watching paint dry, but since it will only be about 10 minutes, please watch.
You probably won't be able to write down the exact files that get replaced, but you will have noticed if one or more files was replaced.
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Please post back with reply to the above questions and your verbal report of what happened when you ran SFC /scannow
We can then perform any necessary work-around as well as take any next steps to help get your machine back in connection with the internet.
Hi Doug,
The operating system is XP SP3. I purchased the laptop from a friend that sid he was going to give me the XP cd. That was a couple of years ago and still no CD. So I do not have one. I ran the SFC command in the command promp. It opened a window and progressed through the status line. It moved slowly and finished. I did not notice any activity of files being opened ,closed or anything else. When it was done the command prompt went to the next line. I hope that this helps.
Thank you
Good choice.
I was writing a long reply that amounts to about the same thing, only manually.
Glad you got is sorted.
Be sure to head back over to complete your work with Ken.
Yes, just click on the link I gave you and save it to a flash drive.
Hi! I am having the same problem. I attempted to save the winsock fix to a USB and then bring it over to my desktop (which can't access the internet), but when I go to run it on the desktop it says it needs to go online to find what program it was created in in order to install. Did I do it right?