Windows XP - Name Resolution Corruption

Question

Here's my problem:

I have an issue connecting to the network (through DSL). I am able to receive an IP address, default gateway, primary and secondary DNS. I am able to ping the loopback (127.0.0.1); I am able to ping the computer's ip address. I am able to ping the DNS server, both primary and secondary. However, I am not able to resolve any server names. I receive a host unknown error when I try to ping the server name. If I ping the IP address for that server, it works.

Configuration: Intel 10/100 Network card - no issues, DSL Speedstream modem - no issues (confirmed with DSL provider), Windows XP. Dell 4550 - no issues. (Network scan through troubleshooter finds no problems)

Additional information: When I use nslookup - Can't find server name for address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx: No response from server . . . default servers are unavailable. If I hook up another computer to the same network, it works okay, so I know the DNS servers are available and working.

When I submit an - ipconfig /renew. I get the following: An errror occurred while renewing interface Local Area Connection : An operation was attempted on something that is not a socket.

I have reinitiatlized the TCP stack by deleting the winsock and winsock2 entries in the registry and submitted the command line to reset TCP.

I am not running any firewall software. The only thing on the net that I have found that remotely fits the bill is something related to McAfee personal firewall. When you uninstall the software, it creates this problem and you need to reinstall. At one point, I did have McAffe, but it has been off the system for 6 months (this problem occurred a few days ago).

I figure my TCP stack is corrupt, but I have no idea how to fix it. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

sentinel-master · Answer

Sounds interesting - and you have done some troubleshooting already...which i good.

Can you cut and paste an output of ipconfig/all to this thread - just to see the info resident.

Have you ever statically set the IP address of DNS servers on the PC or staically set the primary DNS suffix ?

ram461332 · Answer

Here is what I received from the Microsoft forum

1. Backup and delete the following registry keys

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2

2. Reboot

3. Go to the network connections folder, right click the icon for your
network connection, and select properties.

4. Click install, choose "protocol", and click "add..."

5. Click "Have Disk...", enter "\windows\inf", click OK

6. Select "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), click OK

7. When the process in complete, reboot

It resolved the DNS issues, but now I am not able to ping my IP address. I can ping the loopback, but I am not able to ping the DHCP provided ip address. I can ping everything on the net and resolve all server names, but I can't hit my own ip address.

I have the same problem when I use the dial-up, so I don't think it is related to the NIC.

sentinel-master · Answer

Please open a DOS shell using the command sequence Start -> Run -> cmd

(1) Issue the command ipconfig/all
(2) Issue the command netstat -r

Post the results of these commands to help the diagnosis be completed.

ram461332 · Answer

Okay, here's the issue. I (or someone in my family) has installed programs that have attached spyware (such as sahagent or webhancer). These programs modify the Winsock, extending off it so it can redirect Web traffic as the spyware sees fit. I removed the spyware software through a product - Ad-aware. The spyware was removed, however, the issues with Winsock remained. There are known issues listed on the Ad-aware forum and other sites out there related to these spyware components. I have tryed some winsock repair tools, but it has not helped. I have reset tcp/ip, i have reinstalled tcp/ip.

I can ping everything, I can tracert everything. I installed a network sniffer and was able to look at the traffic going back and forth (at the ip level). However, when I start IE - it does not generate any traffic. It appears that IE is not able to resolve to the appropriate network adapter for internet traffic (similar to what I have seen in postings at other sites). My ipconifg is perfect. My netstat shows only my computer and nothing else. I have tried telnet and ftp, they do not generate any traffic either. It appears that anything going through winsock is being redirected and dropped on the floor due to these spyware programs no longer being present.

What I think I need is someone to fully recover winsock back to the original operating system level - the executables, the dlls and the registry.

I'm making progress - - slowly - - I'll keep posting status if anyone's interested.

sentinel-master · Answer

Its is also possible that you have a static route in the routing able of the PC throwing traffic into the bit bucket - loopback or an invalid interface. So please do a "netstat -r " and post results here so we can rule out this possisbility.

For restoration of your Winsock there is reference to this application Winsock XP fix WinsockXP fix .

http://www.umanitoba.ca/academic/faculties/human_ecology/faculty/perchaluk/recent.shtml

Networking, Internet, & Bluetooth

Windows XP - Name Resolution Corruption

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