NIC = Unknown Device!

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.

Andrew,

How did you get it up and running??????

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

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 :-(