XP Help

[8Mud]

Microsoft keeps sending me updates that shut down my internet connection. This is my back up box, seldom used for anything but downloads and storage. On a household LAN network through a router.
I'm getting really tired of having to recover most every time I boot and Microsoft has sent me an XP update.
It's likely a configuration issue, they change a port or possibly the see through for my ethernet card.
My computers are both in German, I usually manage to muddle through some how, but my computer speak is likely deficient in English, I can barley understand it in German.
It seems to be getting out OK, through the router and all, but the server doesn't seem to want to recognize my box after Microsoft sends an update and changes something I've been unable to identify.
I've checked much of the normal stuff (firewalls etc.) before and after an update, haven't identified (yet) any differences after the update. I even tried reinstalling the network connections and internet setup.
It works fine after I recover to a date, before the update.

Any ideas?????

I seem to remember a setting for the ethernet card in properties, but it's been awhile since my initial home network setup and I really can't recall???

 

[JNickel101]

It'd be really helpful to know what this update is actually for (not trying to be a smartass, but if you have the "K" # I can look it up better). Chances are, its that monthly Windows Malicious Code/Security/Whatever update. Or the update itself might be turning on the Windows Firewall, which might be blocking your shit. Or, I've seen before where Windows update will detect a 3rd party firewall (like ZoneAlarm, which is a recent problem with a certain microsoft update just released this week) and shut down your network connection.

Are you running ZoneAlarm?

I'll be here all day, keep posting up!

 

[JNickel101]

http://download.zonealarm.com/bin/free/pressReleases/2008/LossOfInternetAccessIssue.html

 

[RichP]

Yea, that sounds familiar, the comp I have running media center has an Nvidia firewall and a window pops up after updates are applied asking me which one I want to use, nvidia or microsoft, once out of reflex I picked nvidia and then spent the next two hours trying to reconnect. From then on I chose windows firewall and have never had a problem. As far as ZoneAlarm, thats another POS I stack up there with Norton and McAfee. I looked at removing the Nvida one it's buried in the nvidia software, the machine is an Asus AMD box. I just remember NEVER to select nvidia.

 

[8Mud]

It'd be really helpful to know what this update is actually for (not trying to be a smartass, but if you have the "K" # I can look it up better). Chances are, its that monthly Windows Malicious Code/Security/Whatever update. Or the update itself might be turning on the Windows Firewall, which might be blocking your shit. Or, I've seen before where Windows update will detect a 3rd party firewall (like ZoneAlarm, which is a recent problem with a certain microsoft update just released this week) and shut down your network connection.

Are you running ZoneAlarm?

I'll be here all day, keep posting up!

Yes my backup box does have Zone Alarm, I'll disable it. The only reason I installed it in the first place was because when I bought the box (used/cheap) it had viruses and I was hoping Zone Alarm (plus a couple of other similar programs) would let me know if the virus programs were actually dead, dead, dead or would eventually try to reload themselves.
There are no new "K" numbers in my program list (likely because I just did a recovery), but I'm sure there are others in another folder someplace, I'll see if I can find them and/or do a date search.

Thanx guys, I was already yelling at my daughter for installing Trillian, she installed it at about the same time all the trouble started. I'll tell her she is off the hook and it's my fault.

I'll try downloading the fix from Zone Alarm, Thanx again for getting me on the right track, before I started de-installing everything .

 

[JNickel101]

Let us know if that works - glad we could help! :thumbup:

 

[Waterhammer]

Is ZA that bad? I had no idea. I'm actually haveing the same trouble and Xp did recently update. My router is flashing that there's a signal and the Verizon guy could ping my IP (is that correct?) but I still can't connect. It was working one day then out the next. I get a time out error. Anything I could check?

Checked out the link, going to try that first... Thanks

 

[8Mud]

I de-installed Zone Alarm, re-installed the fix (new version) manually re-installed the latest XP update KB 951748 which seems to be the problem and KB 956435, KB 956432 which don't seem to be an issue, that I deleted earlier just in case.

All seems to be well so far, except I'm getting a rash of those pesky security popups that hit you at the beginning of a Zone Alarm installation.

JNickle and RichP know this stuff a whole lot better than I do. My first response was to recover to the last date everything was working well, fairly easy to do. Which worked well until MS force fed me the update again.

Maybe Zone Alarm is having a spat with MS, like MS has with Ad-Aware. MS and Ad-Aware don't seem to want to get along on any of my boxes on any OS with One Care installed.

Zone Alarm has been doing OK on my XP box until the latest XP updates, then my internet service just stopped. Like it was unable to read my IP for whatever reason. I have so many firewalls (layers) and add on cards, it's likely the provider hasn't a clue which IP to read and/or "a" firewall (Zone Alarm) won't let it through to read the IP after the "K" update.

 

[RichP]

Is ZA that bad? I had no idea. I'm actually haveing the same trouble and Xp did recently update. My router is flashing that there's a signal and the Verizon guy could ping my IP (is that correct?) but I still can't connect. It was working one day then out the next. I get a time out error. Anything I could check?

Checked out the link, going to try that first... Thanks

Verizon so I'm guessing you have DSL, log into the dsl modem and see if thats connected. If it feeds a router you need to have the DSL modem in bridge mode where the router passes right thru the dsl modem which means you have to put your user name and ID in the router. I would also get all that verizon crap software off of the PC is you installed it. You don't need it, all you need is to plug the dsl modem into the PC, open a web browser to the DSL modem, go thru the configuration [username and password ] then go. If you are running the windows firewall and free avg plus using firefox thats really all you need. The new firefox is pretty stubborn about letting you go to bad web sites and picking up drivebys...

 

[WB9YZU]

What RichP said...

Plus:
Since the machine is set up on a router, assign it a static IP address.

Then shut off Auto Update!

XP used to mess with me when using a dynamic IP, it would even go as far as changing the router setttings. Once I gave it a static IP and made that port static, the nonsense stopped.

 

[RichP]

OK, just finished THIS machine I'm on now, HP media center laptop that had a dead hard drive.
Total time, 5 hours, 2 hours unattended with the HP DVD's.
The very first thing I did after first running XP boot was remove all the HP bloatware and Norton internet security.
Installed AVG Free and will let the customer upgrade.
All service packs and updates including hardware, net 2.0.
Firefox3.0, thats it, you don't need all that other crap, you really don't.
Will be defragging it for customer pickup at 0530 in the morning.
Nite all...

 

[funvtec]

i was having the same issues with the Xp updates. i've resorted to just not installing them