Spyware Protection:
Winsock Repair Techniques
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Warning: Removing spyware, like any change to the operating system software, may cause your computer to malfunction, and you might need to reinstall Windows. To be on the safe side, you should have a current backup of all critical files. |
Occasionally after running any of the Spyware cleanup tools (including SpyBot - Search & Destroy or Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition) it is possible that your internet connection will stop working. In some cases only Web activity will be problematic and at other times you may experience a total loss of network connectivity.
Symptoms:
- You launch an application and it quits, saying a component is missing.
- No matter where you go on the Web, all you get is a "page not found" or similar message.
- You can connect to sites using an IP address, but not with its DNS name. (Example: trying to access the web site http://www.cit.cornell.edu fails, but specifying the url as http://132.236.218.20 works -- these are two ways of identifying the same site)
- If you are using DHCP you are assigned an IP address that begins with 169.x.y.z.
- You can "ping" a web address if you open a Command prompt, but you cannot access the web site with a browser.
- You receive socket errors from network applications that used to work before you used the spyware removal tools.
Causes:
Some spyware is installed as part of another package and may be designed to display advertisements geared towards things you are interested in. Often this is done to allow the vendor to make the application you are using available for free. When you remove the spyware component, the parent application may no longer function.
Sometimes Spyware inserts itself into your networking infrastructure and in some cases, the process of removing and cleaning up Spyware results in damage to the Windows TCP/IP stack (WinSock2), which can cause you to lose network connectivity.
What to do if removing spyware breaks another application:
When this happens, you need to decide if you really want to continue to use the application. If you do, you will need to re-install it. The better solution may be to look for another application that offers similar features without the added baggage associated with spyware.
What to do if you can't connect to the net:
Back up critical files:
Anytime you need to perform non-standard recovery techniques, it is always a good idea to back up your critical files first just in case your system is no longer bootable.
Repairing a Damaged Windows XP/2000 Winsock2 Stack:
Two utilities have proven helpful in repairing a damaged Winsock stack.
- LSPFix attempts to correct problems caused when Layered Service Provider (LSP) software is not properly removed. It is trickier to use than WinsockXPFix, so is used primarily by network network administrators, but it preserves more custom settings than WinsockXPFix can. If you're going to try both utilities then LSPFix should be used first. If LSPFix cannot resolve the problem, then WinsockXPFix is the next step.
- WinsockXPFix is easier to use and restores your registry and settings to their initial, default state.
What to do if you still can't connect:
If connectivity has not been restored, you may need to try other solutions.- If you encounter problems with only one or more specific applications, you may need to re-install or repair the failing applications.
- Follow the suggestions from the Microsoft knowledgebase: How to determine and recover from Winsock2 corruption
- Worst case scenario: You will need to follow your vendor's system restore procedures or re-install Windows XP/2000 from a CD after backing up and formatting your hard drive. Remember it is important that you back up all your data since this typically results in your hard drive being wiped clean.