Network components keep disappearing!!

[Jim Walsh]

I have a friend who is running Win98. He accesses the Internet using a
dial-up connection. He is having the strangest problem. His Internet access
will be working just fine, and then one day he won't be able to connect.
When I come over to help, I discover that one or more of his network
components is missing from the Network Control panel. One time it was the
dial-up adapter, another time the TCP/IP protocol, today it was both the
TCP/IP protocol and the Client for Microsoft Networks. It's easy enough to
add them back in again, reboot, and his Internet connection is fine.

However, a couple of days later, the problem occurs again. Internet access
doesn't work, due to one or more of the networking components missing.
Although it is easy to get him back online again, I would like to find a
permanent solution.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Did you figure out what was causing it?

Thanks,
Jim

[Gary S. Terhune]

Sounds like Registry corruption to me, though why it would only target
network devices is odd.

--

Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User
http://grystmill.org/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://grystmill.org/articles/security.htm

"Jim Walsh" <Jnospa...@tTUSPM.nospam.TEMPLE.EDU> wrote in message
news:uqzVf2$FHHA...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[Jim Walsh]

Gary

Thanks for your quick reply.Sorry it has taken me so long to get back to
this.

The thing that is particularly odd about this is that once I restore the
network components, it works fine for several days. Then, one day, they're
gone again.

Do you know where in the registry I should be looking for this?

Thanks,
Jim

"Gary S. Terhune" <grys...@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:Om4MzQKG...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[Gary S. Terhune]

Is this *all* that's going wrong with the system? Because Registry
corruption is not that specific or regular.

I don't know of any "normal" thing that would do this, unless perhaps the
modem is having problems and is getting lost, redetected and reinstalled.
Restart in Safe Mode and check out Device Manager there. How many modems are
listed? Check, too, for emulators (HCF, HSF), and while you're there, check
for *any* other duplications. A few are normal, but generally, you want one
entry per device. Make a list of any *exact* duplications and how many of
each to post back here. Also, look for entries that pertain to old devices
that are no longer part of teh system (printers, for example) and remove
those as well.

Lastly, I suppose it could be malware trying to mess with the networking
protocols to allow it to do things it shouldn't be able to do. I suggest a
thorough review of the links in my sig.

--

Gary S. Terhune
MS-MVP Shell/User

http://grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
"Roll Your Own Free Security Suite"
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Roll_your_own_Free_Security_Suite