Yes, I have scanned for malware, spyware, and viruses -- all scans turn up nothing.
The error screen I meant was the common internet unable to find page, or connect with the page, one.
The screensaver is the regular built-in Microsoft, the one that says WindowsXP.
I tried turning off the screensaver altogether to see if that would fix it. But even without a screensaver on, the same thing happened -- I came back to my computer to find that internet capability is not there. The power monitor function had still kicked in though -- could be the power monitor be causing this, or something else altogether
If you think it could still be the video driver -- I have Intel Extreme Graphics 2. I can try installing the new driver if you could point in the right direction for where to download it?
YThe problem seems to be worsening somewhat -- now, when this happens, instead of the internet simply not working, I am getting a balloon from the task bar below saying my network signal cannot be found, and acts as if there is no wireless signal at all, with the little internet icon red-x'd out. But the wireless is actually fine as far as I can tell, and the other computer in the house, only 10 or 20 feet away, has no such wireless problem.
Then when I restart my computer, the internet works fine, signal is of course there and works again. It is when I then eventually leave the computer idle for a while that the problem reoccurs.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Did you recently install any new software or updates, or any new hardware that might have caused this problem? You could try doing a System Restore to a date before the problem started. Personal files will be ok, but any software and updates originally installed after the date used for the System Restore will have to be reinstalled.
Something may be running in the background when the system is idle that's causing a problem (antiviral scans? Windows Indexing Service?). You could run msconfig and click Startup tab. Uncheck everything EXCEPT items related to your firewall, antiviral software, mouse and video card. Exit msconfig and reboot. Put a check in the "Don't show this again" box that appears when you reboot. See if that solves the problem. Note that unchecked items are not removed from your system and will still run -but only when needed, and just won't load every time you boot the system. Might make it run faster too. :emotion-5:
If that solves the problem you can recheck those items in msconfig, one or two at a time until you identify the offender.
Thanks for that. I cannot recall having recently downloaded anything that would cause this. Maybe an updated version of SpySweeper, but that has never been a problem before.
I actually did a System Restore before I posted about this issue, but that didn't solve it, unfortunately.
Under 'startup', there are a number of system files that I am unfamiliar with, so I hesitate to uncheck a lot of things that I don't know what they are. I was previously told that I need to keep the ones checked that are system files. Here is the complete list of files in my startup -- perhaps you could tell me if I can safely uncheck any of them?
Did you try an earlier date for the System Restore? Can you run spysheeper and Norton on the same system without conficts? - I don't know...
Google the names on the Startup tab to figure out what they are. For example, tfswctrl is part of HP's packet writing software which burns data to CD's. Don't think that one has to start every time you boot. DSentry is Dell software that detects insertion of a DVD into the drive; igfxtray is part of Intel's graphics accelerator and probably puts an icon on the system tray next to the clock, etc.
You can certainly uncheck that blank one which is suspicious, and realsched (Real Player) and hphmon06 which is for HP printers and doesn't have to load at boot-up. Remember, you can uncheck anything on the Startup tab to see if it's causing the problem, and then re-check it (and reboot) to have it start automatically again.
I'll ask some of the network experts around here to see if any of them has any ideas.
Ron, Thanks for the ideas. Sorry not to reply sooner, but I was trying out un-checking of certain Startup files as you suggested. Unfortunately that didn't do the trick and the problem remains -- came back from work having left the computer on, to find that internet function is still not working after computer has been idle for a time. So I don't think it's any of the Startup files.
I can try an earlier date for System Restore, which I'll do next.
In the meantime, there was something else I wanted to run by you -- I remembered that at some point before this problem began (though not necessarily close enough in time to suggest a direct link), Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware detected something called 'Disabled.SecurityCenter' -- I asked around about this and was told that it wasn't really malware, but shows up if your Security Center's settings have been changed or you manually disable a component of your Windows Security Center, but that if there were no symptoms of malware, just to ignore it. I hadn't had any malware symptoms at the time (though I couldn't remember purposely tinkering with my Security Center either), so didn't pay it too much mind. But, do you know anything about 'Disabled.SecurityCenter' in MBAM, and do you think it could somehow be related to this strange issue I'm now having with not being able to work the internet after the computer's been idle?
Update to my previous message (06-04-2009 8:47 PM): I tried to do a System Restore for an earlier date, but literally every date I tried, one after the other, would not work -- it kept saying the System Restore did not work and no changes were made to the system. So that is out as a solution at present.
It sounds like your System Restore database is corrupted now. Open the System control panel and click on System Restore tab. Check the box to turn System Restore off. Confirm that and reboot. That deletes the Restore database (it's corrupted and useless). Now uncheck that same box, and reboot again. Manually set a Restore point. You may want to use that new Restore point to restore the system to confirm it's working again.
When that's done, you may want to uninstall and reinstall the network software on this system.
As for that warning message, it's possible -though I don't know for certain- that you're getting it because the Windows firewall is turned off and you're using some other firewall. You may want to go to http://spywarehammer.com/ and post a query there. They are really expert at finding and removing malware. A number of those people used to work the malware board in this forum but migrated over there. Let one of the leaders (Bugbatter, Hoov, etc) walk you through their process.
I asked the forum VIPs to look at this thread and post any suggestions about your network problem, but I guess nobody has anything else to offer...
One of the smart VIPs (mombodog) just sent me an email. How is the wireless adaptor connected to the PC? If it's USB, open Device Manager and expand the list under USB. Right-click each root hub, one at a time, and select Properties. Click the power management tab and make sure the box "allow PC to turn off this device" in not checked. Repeat for all USB root hubs. Note, you may have to disconnect some USB devices in order to see the power management tab for the root hub where they're connected..
Then find the wireless adaptor in Device Manager. Right-click it and select properties, Look for a power management tab. If it's there, make sure the box "allow PC to turn this device off" isn't checked.
Thanks again for all of that. I will follow your instructions re System Restore tomorrow. Today I have been dealing with the USB root hub suggestion. A couple of things happened, which lead me to believe there still might be something of a problem, but possibly also shed light on the situation. First, I followed your instructions about unchecking the "allow PC to turn off this device" -- there were other items besides the root hubs there (some Intel things, my flash drive, a couple things I couldn't identify), which did not show the power management tabs, but all the root hubs themselves did, and I successfully unchecked "allow PC to turn off this device" in all of them. (The wireless adapter [Belkin] did not show the power management tab.) I rebooted, opened Firefox, and left the computer for a good few hours, and came back to find that the internet function actually still worked after all that time. Tentative success, it seemed. Then only 10 minutes or so later, the connection went out altogether, the icon x-ed out (again, trust me that it's not the wireless signal itself). On a whim I went back to Device Manager, clicked on the wireless adapter's Properties, and saw that the adapter was "disabled" -- I followed the instruction to re-enable, and the internet was immediately restored. Could all of this really be an adapter issue? Or could there be something outside of the adapter that is causing it to spontaneously become disabled? In either case, any idea what to do to fix it? (That is, if unchecking "allow PC to turn off this device" otherwise worked....)
Is there some setting in the Belkin adaptor software that turns it off after X minutes of inactivity? If you have other PCs are this net, are any of the others losing their connection? What happens if you leave it idle without Firefox running? If you then launch Firefox, do you get a connection? Does that mean your ISP may be timing the connection out?
Is there some other network, wireless phone, microwave, frig in the area or on the same electrical circuit with the PC that's interfering?
So far, the problem of the internet function disappearing after the computer being idle still seems solved (even with Firefox running the whole time)....
I followed your instructions re System Restore, and though I haven't actually done a Restore as of yet, I did successfully set a restore point. I may do a Restore just in case.
The wireless adapter is being controlled by the Windows facility, not Belkin or other software. A while back, the person on the phone at the wireless company recommended that I set it that way, and as far as I can tell/remember, there is no Belkin software on my computer -- I can't find it, anyway. There is no other appliance or electrical device nearby. There is, though, another computer in the house getting internet from the same wireless modem, then this one gets the signal from a router. The other computer has had no such problems.
I will give it another day of letting the computer alone for a while and coming back to see if internet function works, and let you know. If you have any other ideas or suggestions or response to this in the meantime, please let me know -- but if it's working so far, should I really do a System Restore, just in case that somehow messes things up?
To Restore, or not to Restore: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?
If it were me, now that the internet connection is working even when idle with Firefox running, I'd set another new restore point and use that latest one to restore it. At worst it won't restore and at best it will be exactly as it was before you used the restore. Otherwise, you won't know if Restore is working again -I'd hate to find that out when I desperately needed to run a Restore to fix some disaster. And if Restore still isn't working, you have some other Windows problem that needs attention.
You'll have to make the decision that's best for you. :emotion-5:
Well, I thought the internet non-functioning problem may have been solved, but there has been a bit of a setback today. The problem spontaneously resurfaced, after about 2 whole days of it seeming fixed. Checking through Device Manager, the USB ports are still unchecked for allowing Windows to turn them off to save power, and the adapter was still enabled. So apparently it is not actually to do with these things. Possibly the adapter itself is malfunctioning or breaking down (though it's only about 6 months old)? But if that is the case, why/how would it cause Windows to get stuck on "Windows is shutting down"?, so that I have to turn it off manually....
I did try System Restore, and the result was mixed. I had manually set 2 Restore Points -- one yesterday and one earlier today. The first one I tried, yesterday's, did not work, and no changes were made to the computer, it said, upon rebooting. On the second try, using today's Restore Point, it worked fine and the computer reset to that point successfully. So I'm not sure what that means -- it half-works? Or it's just selective about what points it will actually restore to?....
Any further thoughts would be greatly welcomed. Thank you.
If you don't already have it, download and install User Profile Hive Cleanup Service for XP. That should resolve the shutdown problems. It's possible the first restore point was defective, which makes me wonder if you have some hidden malware lurking. You might want to go to www.spyhammer.com and let them scour your system for nasty stuff. It won't hurt and they do a great job for free.
I suppose it's possible the wireless adaptor is faulty, so you might want to contact Belkins.
What Service Pack of XP is on your hard drive? And what service pack is on your Dell XP Reinstallation CD? You may need to run a Repair/Reinstall of XP.
RoHe
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June 2nd, 2009 18:00
Scanned for malware lately?
Is it every one of the built-in Microsoft screensaver patterns or just the one you routinely use? What does the "error screen" say?
You may need to uninstall, reboot and then reinstall the latest version of your video driver...
Ron
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June 2nd, 2009 20:00
Yes, I have scanned for malware, spyware, and viruses -- all scans turn up nothing.
The error screen I meant was the common internet unable to find page, or connect with the page, one.
The screensaver is the regular built-in Microsoft, the one that says WindowsXP.
I tried turning off the screensaver altogether to see if that would fix it. But even without a screensaver on, the same thing happened -- I came back to my computer to find that internet capability is not there. The power monitor function had still kicked in though -- could be the power monitor be causing this, or something else altogether
If you think it could still be the video driver -- I have Intel Extreme Graphics 2. I can try installing the new driver if you could point in the right direction for where to download it?
YThe problem seems to be worsening somewhat -- now, when this happens, instead of the internet simply not working, I am getting a balloon from the task bar below saying my network signal cannot be found, and acts as if there is no wireless signal at all, with the little internet icon red-x'd out. But the wireless is actually fine as far as I can tell, and the other computer in the house, only 10 or 20 feet away, has no such wireless problem.
Then when I restart my computer, the internet works fine, signal is of course there and works again. It is when I then eventually leave the computer idle for a while that the problem reoccurs.
Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
RoHe
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June 3rd, 2009 10:00
Did you recently install any new software or updates, or any new hardware that might have caused this problem? You could try doing a System Restore to a date before the problem started. Personal files will be ok, but any software and updates originally installed after the date used for the System Restore will have to be reinstalled.
Something may be running in the background when the system is idle that's causing a problem (antiviral scans? Windows Indexing Service?). You could run msconfig and click Startup tab. Uncheck everything EXCEPT items related to your firewall, antiviral software, mouse and video card. Exit msconfig and reboot. Put a check in the "Don't show this again" box that appears when you reboot. See if that solves the problem. Note that unchecked items are not removed from your system and will still run -but only when needed, and just won't load every time you boot the system. Might make it run faster too. :emotion-5:
If that solves the problem you can recheck those items in msconfig, one or two at a time until you identify the offender.
Ron
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June 3rd, 2009 12:00
Thanks for that. I cannot recall having recently downloaded anything that would cause this. Maybe an updated version of SpySweeper, but that has never been a problem before.
I actually did a System Restore before I posted about this issue, but that didn't solve it, unfortunately.
Under 'startup', there are a number of system files that I am unfamiliar with, so I hesitate to uncheck a lot of things that I don't know what they are. I was previously told that I need to keep the ones checked that are system files. Here is the complete list of files in my startup -- perhaps you could tell me if I can safely uncheck any of them?
tfswctrl, DSentry, hp2tsb11, hphmon06, igfxtray, hkcmd, igfxpers, ctfmon (these are system)
VPTray (program, SYMANTEC), realsched (prog.), HPWuSchd2 (prog.), SpySweeperUI, NMBgMonitor (com.), and one completely blank listing.
It seems like most of these are necessary? What if that's not, then, the problem?
Thanks again, I appreciate it, and hope to hear back at your convenience.
RoHe
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June 3rd, 2009 17:00
Did you try an earlier date for the System Restore? Can you run spysheeper and Norton on the same system without conficts? - I don't know...
Google the names on the Startup tab to figure out what they are. For example, tfswctrl is part of HP's packet writing software which burns data to CD's. Don't think that one has to start every time you boot. DSentry is Dell software that detects insertion of a DVD into the drive; igfxtray is part of Intel's graphics accelerator and probably puts an icon on the system tray next to the clock, etc.
You can certainly uncheck that blank one which is suspicious, and realsched (Real Player) and hphmon06 which is for HP printers and doesn't have to load at boot-up. Remember, you can uncheck anything on the Startup tab to see if it's causing the problem, and then re-check it (and reboot) to have it start automatically again.
I'll ask some of the network experts around here to see if any of them has any ideas.
Ron
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June 4th, 2009 19:00
Ron, Thanks for the ideas. Sorry not to reply sooner, but I was trying out un-checking of certain Startup files as you suggested. Unfortunately that didn't do the trick and the problem remains -- came back from work having left the computer on, to find that internet function is still not working after computer has been idle for a time. So I don't think it's any of the Startup files.
I can try an earlier date for System Restore, which I'll do next.
In the meantime, there was something else I wanted to run by you -- I remembered that at some point before this problem began (though not necessarily close enough in time to suggest a direct link), Malwarebyte's Anti-Malware detected something called 'Disabled.SecurityCenter' -- I asked around about this and was told that it wasn't really malware, but shows up if your Security Center's settings have been changed or you manually disable a component of your Windows Security Center, but that if there were no symptoms of malware, just to ignore it. I hadn't had any malware symptoms at the time (though I couldn't remember purposely tinkering with my Security Center either), so didn't pay it too much mind. But, do you know anything about 'Disabled.SecurityCenter' in MBAM, and do you think it could somehow be related to this strange issue I'm now having with not being able to work the internet after the computer's been idle?
Any ideas from your network experts?
Thanks again, and hope to hear back....
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June 4th, 2009 22:00
Update to my previous message (06-04-2009 8:47 PM): I tried to do a System Restore for an earlier date, but literally every date I tried, one after the other, would not work -- it kept saying the System Restore did not work and no changes were made to the system. So that is out as a solution at present.
RoHe
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June 5th, 2009 10:00
It sounds like your System Restore database is corrupted now. Open the System control panel and click on System Restore tab. Check the box to turn System Restore off. Confirm that and reboot. That deletes the Restore database (it's corrupted and useless). Now uncheck that same box, and reboot again. Manually set a Restore point. You may want to use that new Restore point to restore the system to confirm it's working again.
When that's done, you may want to uninstall and reinstall the network software on this system.
As for that warning message, it's possible -though I don't know for certain- that you're getting it because the Windows firewall is turned off and you're using some other firewall. You may want to go to http://spywarehammer.com/ and post a query there. They are really expert at finding and removing malware. A number of those people used to work the malware board in this forum but migrated over there. Let one of the leaders (Bugbatter, Hoov, etc) walk you through their process.
I asked the forum VIPs to look at this thread and post any suggestions about your network problem, but I guess nobody has anything else to offer...
Ron
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June 5th, 2009 15:00
One of the smart VIPs (mombodog) just sent me an email. How is the wireless adaptor connected to the PC? If it's USB, open Device Manager and expand the list under USB. Right-click each root hub, one at a time, and select Properties. Click the power management tab and make sure the box "allow PC to turn off this device" in not checked. Repeat for all USB root hubs. Note, you may have to disconnect some USB devices in order to see the power management tab for the root hub where they're connected..
Then find the wireless adaptor in Device Manager. Right-click it and select properties, Look for a power management tab. If it's there, make sure the box "allow PC to turn this device off" isn't checked.
Now reboot.
Ron
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June 6th, 2009 01:00
Ron,
Thanks again for all of that. I will follow your instructions re System Restore tomorrow. Today I have been dealing with the USB root hub suggestion. A couple of things happened, which lead me to believe there still might be something of a problem, but possibly also shed light on the situation. First, I followed your instructions about unchecking the "allow PC to turn off this device" -- there were other items besides the root hubs there (some Intel things, my flash drive, a couple things I couldn't identify), which did not show the power management tabs, but all the root hubs themselves did, and I successfully unchecked "allow PC to turn off this device" in all of them. (The wireless adapter [Belkin] did not show the power management tab.) I rebooted, opened Firefox, and left the computer for a good few hours, and came back to find that the internet function actually still worked after all that time. Tentative success, it seemed. Then only 10 minutes or so later, the connection went out altogether, the icon x-ed out (again, trust me that it's not the wireless signal itself). On a whim I went back to Device Manager, clicked on the wireless adapter's Properties, and saw that the adapter was "disabled" -- I followed the instruction to re-enable, and the internet was immediately restored. Could all of this really be an adapter issue? Or could there be something outside of the adapter that is causing it to spontaneously become disabled? In either case, any idea what to do to fix it? (That is, if unchecking "allow PC to turn off this device" otherwise worked....)
Thanks -- I really appreciate it.
RoHe
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June 6th, 2009 12:00
Is there some setting in the Belkin adaptor software that turns it off after X minutes of inactivity? If you have other PCs are this net, are any of the others losing their connection? What happens if you leave it idle without Firefox running? If you then launch Firefox, do you get a connection? Does that mean your ISP may be timing the connection out?
Is there some other network, wireless phone, microwave, frig in the area or on the same electrical circuit with the PC that's interfering?
Does Belkin have a tech support?
Ron
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June 6th, 2009 23:00
So far, the problem of the internet function disappearing after the computer being idle still seems solved (even with Firefox running the whole time)....
I followed your instructions re System Restore, and though I haven't actually done a Restore as of yet, I did successfully set a restore point. I may do a Restore just in case.
The wireless adapter is being controlled by the Windows facility, not Belkin or other software. A while back, the person on the phone at the wireless company recommended that I set it that way, and as far as I can tell/remember, there is no Belkin software on my computer -- I can't find it, anyway. There is no other appliance or electrical device nearby. There is, though, another computer in the house getting internet from the same wireless modem, then this one gets the signal from a router. The other computer has had no such problems.
I will give it another day of letting the computer alone for a while and coming back to see if internet function works, and let you know. If you have any other ideas or suggestions or response to this in the meantime, please let me know -- but if it's working so far, should I really do a System Restore, just in case that somehow messes things up?
Thanks again.
RoHe
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June 7th, 2009 12:00
To Restore, or not to Restore: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them?
If it were me, now that the internet connection is working even when idle with Firefox running, I'd set another new restore point and use that latest one to restore it. At worst it won't restore and at best it will be exactly as it was before you used the restore. Otherwise, you won't know if Restore is working again -I'd hate to find that out when I desperately needed to run a Restore to fix some disaster. And if Restore still isn't working, you have some other Windows problem that needs attention.
You'll have to make the decision that's best for you. :emotion-5:
Ron
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June 7th, 2009 17:00
I liked your Shakespeare paraphrase.
Well, I thought the internet non-functioning problem may have been solved, but there has been a bit of a setback today. The problem spontaneously resurfaced, after about 2 whole days of it seeming fixed. Checking through Device Manager, the USB ports are still unchecked for allowing Windows to turn them off to save power, and the adapter was still enabled. So apparently it is not actually to do with these things. Possibly the adapter itself is malfunctioning or breaking down (though it's only about 6 months old)? But if that is the case, why/how would it cause Windows to get stuck on "Windows is shutting down"?, so that I have to turn it off manually....
I did try System Restore, and the result was mixed. I had manually set 2 Restore Points -- one yesterday and one earlier today. The first one I tried, yesterday's, did not work, and no changes were made to the computer, it said, upon rebooting. On the second try, using today's Restore Point, it worked fine and the computer reset to that point successfully. So I'm not sure what that means -- it half-works? Or it's just selective about what points it will actually restore to?....
Any further thoughts would be greatly welcomed. Thank you.
RoHe
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June 7th, 2009 18:00
If you don't already have it, download and install User Profile Hive Cleanup Service for XP. That should resolve the shutdown problems. It's possible the first restore point was defective, which makes me wonder if you have some hidden malware lurking. You might want to go to www.spyhammer.com and let them scour your system for nasty stuff. It won't hurt and they do a great job for free.
I suppose it's possible the wireless adaptor is faulty, so you might want to contact Belkins.
What Service Pack of XP is on your hard drive? And what service pack is on your Dell XP Reinstallation CD? You may need to run a Repair/Reinstall of XP.
Ron