WinSock in XP
Straight_Man
Geeky, in my own wayNaples, FL Icrontian
First a bit of explanation:
Winsock is the TCP\IP stack MANAGER as far as talking with other computers on a web or LAN setup, for each Windows Box. There are several ways it can be corrupted, with entries that end up not connecting. The most common of these several are to have multiple connects active for one physical NIC in a local computer, or to have connections left after spyware or adware remover, or to have multiple dialup adapters running on one modem (dialup) connect or to have multiple drivers running for one modem due to not uninstalling an older driver before installing a new one, or by leaving an obsolete driver that no longer talks to anything present when a device is PHYSICALLY removed and replaced.
Folks think that XP's Winsock stack is kinda less vulnerable that earlier Winsocks in older versions of Windows, but the Winsock files can still be corrupted in XP. Symptoms include an unstable and intermittent or "flaky" internet connection after a device change or a spyware\hijack removal.
So, if you have an internet connection that goes flaky and normal spyware\virus\adware removal or a device replacement does not fix, here are some things to do:
1. Look at Microsoft KB articles 811259 and 299257, for some more info about Winsock.
2. Check in Device Manager for duplicates in modem devices, NICs, or if you have removed spyware\viruses\adware and get a very flaky internet connection you might try something else (see 3.).
3. There is a little program called Winsock XP Fix-- below is one link to info about it. It is freeware. Link: http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html . This program specializes in fixing the Winsock used specifically in XP, but those of you with 2000 which has been service packed up to date might find it also helps with that OS's Winsock structure. It behaves well, backs up the registry (If it offers to back up the registry, please choose OK or Yes) before changing it, so in worst case you can roll back to your mess and look at other things also.
I stuck this in Windows as there are several ways this part of Windows can get messed up, not just due to malware\security issues, and similar fixes can ameliorate or eliminate quite a few Winsock issues for all the above causes.
HTH someone who has a Windows box that cannot surf after things talked briefly about in first paragraph in "Explanation" section. good luck, and this thread can serve for Winsock and TCP\IP stack discussion also. I got the link and Microsoft KB articles out of a piece by Bill Machrone in PC Magazine (September 21, 2004 issue(yes, it is in the NEXT issue to hit the newsstands), page 75) where he discovered that one Windows box with a corrupt Winsock and TCP\IP stck config buffaloed his Buffalo router into malfing left and right-- the program I talked about in things to do section three fixed his issue, suddenly the router was stable as heck and so was the fixed computer. He had pulled Spyware off the corrupted computer, and had tried to reload drivers at least once. Thanks, Bill, for reminding me and others that Winsock still can get "buffaloed" by malware....
Winsock is the TCP\IP stack MANAGER as far as talking with other computers on a web or LAN setup, for each Windows Box. There are several ways it can be corrupted, with entries that end up not connecting. The most common of these several are to have multiple connects active for one physical NIC in a local computer, or to have connections left after spyware or adware remover, or to have multiple dialup adapters running on one modem (dialup) connect or to have multiple drivers running for one modem due to not uninstalling an older driver before installing a new one, or by leaving an obsolete driver that no longer talks to anything present when a device is PHYSICALLY removed and replaced.
Folks think that XP's Winsock stack is kinda less vulnerable that earlier Winsocks in older versions of Windows, but the Winsock files can still be corrupted in XP. Symptoms include an unstable and intermittent or "flaky" internet connection after a device change or a spyware\hijack removal.
So, if you have an internet connection that goes flaky and normal spyware\virus\adware removal or a device replacement does not fix, here are some things to do:
1. Look at Microsoft KB articles 811259 and 299257, for some more info about Winsock.
2. Check in Device Manager for duplicates in modem devices, NICs, or if you have removed spyware\viruses\adware and get a very flaky internet connection you might try something else (see 3.).
3. There is a little program called Winsock XP Fix-- below is one link to info about it. It is freeware. Link: http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html . This program specializes in fixing the Winsock used specifically in XP, but those of you with 2000 which has been service packed up to date might find it also helps with that OS's Winsock structure. It behaves well, backs up the registry (If it offers to back up the registry, please choose OK or Yes) before changing it, so in worst case you can roll back to your mess and look at other things also.
I stuck this in Windows as there are several ways this part of Windows can get messed up, not just due to malware\security issues, and similar fixes can ameliorate or eliminate quite a few Winsock issues for all the above causes.
HTH someone who has a Windows box that cannot surf after things talked briefly about in first paragraph in "Explanation" section. good luck, and this thread can serve for Winsock and TCP\IP stack discussion also. I got the link and Microsoft KB articles out of a piece by Bill Machrone in PC Magazine (September 21, 2004 issue(yes, it is in the NEXT issue to hit the newsstands), page 75) where he discovered that one Windows box with a corrupt Winsock and TCP\IP stck config buffaloed his Buffalo router into malfing left and right-- the program I talked about in things to do section three fixed his issue, suddenly the router was stable as heck and so was the fixed computer. He had pulled Spyware off the corrupted computer, and had tried to reload drivers at least once. Thanks, Bill, for reminding me and others that Winsock still can get "buffaloed" by malware....
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