Is it possible that this file (KB890830) caused the problem? "
Janet, are you still able to log on ok? I did a search for the file you mentioned last night, but it's not even on my computer.
My update:
I switched the NIC into another slot, still device conflict under "unknown". I also cannot log on using dial up (granted this is only with AOL, I have not tried another ISP that maybe won't use the WAN Miniport (ATW)). I was on the phone with AOL four times last night for over 3 hours. We reinstalled AOL over and over (different versions), fooled around with connectivity settings, all to no avail. When I finally mentioned Device Manager (notice, I had to be the one to bring it up), they told me it was Dell's problem and hung up on me.
Volcano Steve, I am d/ling the chipsets now at work as you suggested. I had planned to connect to the internet last night at home via my phone modem to d/l the chipsets, but well, as I said above that didn't work out. However, didn't someone on here try that and said it didn't work?
Also, I'm still unsure how to install these drivers. I d/l the file than launch the EXE. But then it goes into another folder. I find the folder and click on setup (or something of that nature) and get a welcome screen, I choose to install drivers (vs making a driver disk), I get a "working" box and then it goes back to the welcome screen. Did the drivers install? Or is there something else I have to do?
I just found this on Microsoft's website. It may be why I couldn't find the file Janet mentioned:
Note The version of this tool delivered by Windows Update runs in the background and then deletes itself. If you would like to run this tool more than once a month, use the version on this Web page or install the version that is available in the Download Center.
Any clue what I can do if this file ran itself then deleted itself? As mentioned, I haven't been able to do a system restore.
Side note: why won't a system restore let you choose a date from the previous month? The pointer changes to a "hand" when I try and click for "February", but nothing happens.
I have many friends who have dells and have seen three of them in the past few days have this problem. I fixed one by doing a system restore and that one is still working. I am working on the second one now and a system restore is unfortunately not an option for this one. Dell must be getting a lot of calls with this issue, i know i had one of the friends on the phone for two hours and they also told them it was a motherboard problem. This is doubtfull, even if it was that would show you that apparently Dell uses garbage motherboards since so many computers are having this problem. I will let everyone know if i get any headway on the problem.
Alright I cleared NVRAM and Flashed the Bios, to no avail. I finally did a FDisk Format and Reload. That resolved the issue.. It was not hardware, definitely windows.
What seems odd to me is the timing of all this. I've had my computer for 3 years. If you read other messages people are having the same problem with computers of various models and ages, yet this error "just" occurred with all of us! And it is a sudden failure. Many of these posters did nothing more than turn their system off for the night. And all I did was disconnect my harddrive and move it to another room!
so as an update i have the network card running on the second computer but it is still under unknown devices in the device manager, not sure how thats happening. I also heard something about the problem possibly being linked to a worm of some sort. can anyone confirm yes or no to it being a worm?
I'm still guessing a format and reinstallation is instore... alot easier than replacing a motherboard and cheaper than buying a new NIC (especially since 2 new NICs still didn't solve the problem for me)
Rats. My system is clean in the way of viruses and spyware. I'm going to borrow a friend's Dell restoration CD and call tech support again. I also might buy a new NIC tonight when I'm out picking up some compressed air - Man! Can't believe how much dust was in my tower!
no clue man, the computer also had loads of spyware and one virus on it. I deleted alot of spyware and did some killing of services along with registry editing. I kinda went gunghoe on it and started killing anything that did not look like something that i knew. what gets me is that it still shows up as unknown but it functions properly. I will keep you updated if i find anymore about the situation.
I'm worried about reformatting b/c the computer is 3 years old. Using the XP installation CD that came with the computer will set me back 2 service packs and umpteen number of updates. Plus, everything else works fine on the computer - all office software, games, printer, CDs, etc. I just can't use my DSL or even use dial up for AOL.
Hi, all. Boy -- can't believe so many people are having this problem! My computer is still running fine since the second restore. Someone else brought it to my attention that this MS tool doesn't stay on your computer. I DID read that. As for the other questions, I run NAV and Ad-Aware and Spybot on a regular basis. Sometimes they find something, most of the time it's minimal. I have not had a virus on this computer -- just nuisance stuff. I also have Spyblaster and WinPatrol.
If anyone comes up with any answers, please post. I'd be interested. Tech at Dell said she had no idea what would cause it. It just seemed odd that it happened the 2 days that I ran that tool. And...as Karatelover said, all I did was shut it down for the night. When it was turned back on, it didn't recognize the NIC.
My Dell is only 6 months old. As for reformatting a 3-year-old computer, it can be done. I had to do that to my Gateway several times (part of the reason I didn't buy another one). In fact, I wiped out the hard drive when I sold it last summer.
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal tool downloads and does what it is supposed to do - (in theory) then it is gone. Sort of like a shot of Penicillin - except that usually works better.
Going back to a restore point may well work for some time until the next reboot when whatever spyware, adware, spam and other unwanted code pops up again to render your internet connection or other parts of your PC unfixable by conventional methods. Returning to an earlier point with system restore often keeps the problem repeating itself over and over.
Though it seems you are all having the same problem at the same time and it seems mysterious to you it does NOT seems so to me. From what I've read of your posts, (collectively) the ONLY common fix is a wipe and re-install. Why? I only read of one person who was having the described problems who seemed able to fix it by wiping his drive and reloading the OS. And often a particularly successful piece of code or virus or some other item hits the internet and just about everyone using AOL, or running without a properly configured firewall or some other detail gets hit and hard.
Then they run around asking AOL and Dell and Microsoft for the solution. Most often everyone at AOL, DELL, etc. is clueless for a time and then the answer becomes somewhat obvious. It is not everyone's NIC card all at once- or everyone's device manager or all motherboards all failing at the same moment in time - BUT it IS likely everyone's one common thread- THE INTERNET ITSELF has smoked your PC's and to fix it- especially after it has been running for three years or more is to start fresh with a F-Disk and reinstall of the OS. Why? - well add up the hours of being told about motherboards, and other in vain, {though understandably desperate} attempts to fix the problem by trying three different NIC cards, etc. Life is short. Most folks who've been around a long time wipe their drives as a matter of course periodically to gain speed - rid themselves of things they can't otherwise fix and it is sometimes- not always a good feeling to start from scratch.
I wish, as does most of the rest of the computing world that Microsoft or someone- ANYONE could design and build hackproof code- that viruses could not ever get through my defenses, and I still do not understand how in He** some of the bugs, spyware etc. gets onto so many machines. But for now we all have to deal with it, and sometimes it means a clean start from scratch. I wish I had another answer.
Well, here's the thing.....I finally did break down and restore windows and as you can see here I have access to the internet. The problem? Within 30 seconds of having access to the internet I was assaulted with spyware and viruses. I can barely get through one download without 30 pop up windows going on.
Does anyone know if Windows firewall is from serivice pack 2? I'm trying to go through all the windows up dates (from my install CD of three years ago) and I cannot find my firewall. Norton is not helping against these pop ups. All I can do is keep running spy ware and rebooting.
I knew this was going to be a pain in the a$$ that's why I was looking for another way around reformatting. The rest of my computer operations were working fine. I should have just bought another computer :-(
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 11:00
I switched the NIC into another slot, still device conflict under "unknown". I also cannot log on using dial up (granted this is only with AOL, I have not tried another ISP that maybe won't use the WAN Miniport (ATW)). I was on the phone with AOL four times last night for over 3 hours. We reinstalled AOL over and over (different versions), fooled around with connectivity settings, all to no avail. When I finally mentioned Device Manager (notice, I had to be the one to bring it up), they told me it was Dell's problem and hung up on me.
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 12:00
I just found this on Microsoft's website. It may be why I couldn't find the file Janet mentioned:
Note The version of this tool delivered by Windows Update runs in the background and then deletes itself. If you would like to run this tool more than once a month, use the version on this Web page or install the version that is available in the Download Center.
Any clue what I can do if this file ran itself then deleted itself? As mentioned, I haven't been able to do a system restore.
Side note: why won't a system restore let you choose a date from the previous month? The pointer changes to a "hand" when I try and click for "February", but nothing happens.
drewski02681
3 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 13:00
Andrew
spncr592
7 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 14:00
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 14:00
drewski02681
3 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 16:00
andrew
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 16:00
Andrew,
How did you get it up and running??????
spncr592
7 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 17:00
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 17:00
drewski02681
3 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 17:00
andrew
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 18:00
jlsd
72 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 19:00
If anyone comes up with any answers, please post. I'd be interested. Tech at Dell said she had no idea what would cause it. It just seemed odd that it happened the 2 days that I ran that tool. And...as Karatelover said, all I did was shut it down for the night. When it was turned back on, it didn't recognize the NIC.
My Dell is only 6 months old. As for reformatting a 3-year-old computer, it can be done. I had to do that to my Gateway several times (part of the reason I didn't buy another one). In fact, I wiped out the hard drive when I sold it last summer.
Janet in NJ
chimney
147 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 20:00
The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal tool downloads and does what it is supposed to do - (in theory) then it is gone. Sort of like a shot of Penicillin - except that usually works better.
Going back to a restore point may well work for some time until the next reboot when whatever spyware, adware, spam and other unwanted code pops up again to render your internet connection or other parts of your PC unfixable by conventional methods. Returning to an earlier point with system restore often keeps the problem repeating itself over and over.
Though it seems you are all having the same problem at the same time and it seems mysterious to you it does NOT seems so to me. From what I've read of your posts, (collectively) the ONLY common fix is a wipe and re-install. Why? I only read of one person who was having the described problems who seemed able to fix it by wiping his drive and reloading the OS. And often a particularly successful piece of code or virus or some other item hits the internet and just about everyone using AOL, or running without a properly configured firewall or some other detail gets hit and hard.
Then they run around asking AOL and Dell and Microsoft for the solution. Most often everyone at AOL, DELL, etc. is clueless for a time and then the answer becomes somewhat obvious. It is not everyone's NIC card all at once- or everyone's device manager or all motherboards all failing at the same moment in time - BUT it IS likely everyone's one common thread- THE INTERNET ITSELF has smoked your PC's and to fix it- especially after it has been running for three years or more is to start fresh with a F-Disk and reinstall of the OS. Why? - well add up the hours of being told about motherboards, and other in vain, {though understandably desperate} attempts to fix the problem by trying three different NIC cards, etc. Life is short. Most folks who've been around a long time wipe their drives as a matter of course periodically to gain speed - rid themselves of things they can't otherwise fix and it is sometimes- not always a good feeling to start from scratch.
I wish, as does most of the rest of the computing world that Microsoft or someone- ANYONE could design and build hackproof code- that viruses could not ever get through my defenses, and I still do not understand how in He** some of the bugs, spyware etc. gets onto so many machines. But for now we all have to deal with it, and sometimes it means a clean start from scratch. I wish I had another answer.
Good luck.
Chimney
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 11th, 2005 20:00
karatelovr
20 Posts
0
March 12th, 2005 22:00
Well, here's the thing.....I finally did break down and restore windows and as you can see here I have access to the internet. The problem? Within 30 seconds of having access to the internet I was assaulted with spyware and viruses. I can barely get through one download without 30 pop up windows going on.
Does anyone know if Windows firewall is from serivice pack 2? I'm trying to go through all the windows up dates (from my install CD of three years ago) and I cannot find my firewall. Norton is not helping against these pop ups. All I can do is keep running spy ware and rebooting.
I knew this was going to be a pain in the a$$ that's why I was looking for another way around reformatting. The rest of my computer operations were working fine. I should have just bought another computer :-(