Completely remove networking
Eric Kadison
I'd like to completely remove (and then re-install) networking on a Win
98 system. This system runs extremely slowly on the LAN (about 6-7
kBPS). After installing a DSL link on my server, this system now really
feels slow. When I just remove the networking software, it looks like
something is left behind, e.g. registry entries. So that a reinstall has
the same problems as the old one. I suspect I caused the problem over
the years by changing Ethernet cards, configurations, protocols, modems,
and lots of other stuff. These days, I've just got an Intel 10/100 with
TCP/IP.
Does anyone know what registry entries, or other headaches, do I need to
clean up to get a clean installation?
TIA,
Eric
drm...@hotmail.com
wrote:
I got this off a newsgroup last year. It has worked for me while the Microsoft
method in Q181599 has not
============================================================
Hi! I work for an ISP in tech support, and have come across the
"Newdot~2.dll is missing" error messages from NEW.net software a few times,
and your website saved the day. BTW, there's a fix I have to use sometimes,
called the "Winsock2 Fix" which does NOT require a reinstall of windows but
has the effect of replacing the winsock reg keys. I user it in situations
where nothing else has helped for browsing issues, and especially when some
3rd party software has modified winsocks and TCP/IP in general. You may
have already tried this, if so, let me know. I'm sorry if some of it is
redundant or you know it already, but I'll just give the full spiel in case
you haven't.
Here are the steps I use:
<<<< THIS ONLY WORKS FOR win98 FE, SE, and winME >>>>
1. EXTREMELY IMPORTANT - make sure that the person has the *.cab files for
their version of windows, NOTE WHERE THEY ARE (what DIR). Usually it's
C:\windows\options\cabs, sometimes for winME it's
C:\windows\options\install, BUT NOT ALWAYS. Before I'll TOUCH the network
stack or winsock.dll & wsock32.dll, I ALWAYS verify this by searching for
win.com and then w*.cab to compare the dates. For example, win.com with a
date of 4-23-99 indicates win98 SE, so as long as the cab files
(win98_21.cab to win98_74.cab) have the same date, it's all good.
win.com 05-11-98 win98 FE win98_21.cab to win98_69.cab
win.com 04-23-99 win98 SE win98_21.cab to win98_74.cab
win.com 06-08-00 winME win_08.cab to win_22.cab
2. Go into Control Panel > Network, and note which components are installed.
Make sure to hit cancel out of network stack, otherwise often windows will
want to restart, even if you haven't made any changes.
3. Go into Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Windows Setup Tab, click on
"Communications" to highlight, then click on Details. Note which items are
checked
4. Uncheck ALL items in Communications, either individually or by getting
out of "Details" and un-checking the check next to Communications as a
whole. Hit Apply, say NO to prompt for restarting. Hit OK and close out of
Add Remove Programs
5. Go into Control Panel > Network again. You may notice that some or all
components are missing. LEAVE any hardware adapters that are present, like
NIC cards, IR ports, TV/Data Adapters, NDIS 1394 cards, unless you feel like
re-installing the drivers for them (I never do because we can't re-install
drivers for people). Otherwise remove all components and ALL SOFTWARE
adapters like Dial Up Adapter(DUA), MS Virtual Private Networking (VPN)
Adapter, Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), ALL CLIENTS like Client for
Microsoft Networks (CFMSN) or Microsoft Family Logon, and ALL PROTOCOLS,
such as TCP/IP, netBEUI, IPX/SPX. Once this is done, hit OK. I usually have
the user restart at this point, but you don't HAVE to.
6. Once restarted go into the Registry, back it up first, and do something
with these keys (either rename or delete). I usually have people delete
them, but I like your idea of renaming.
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Remote Access
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Winsock2
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\Winsock
HKey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\Winsock2
7. Once this is done you HAVE to restart.
8. Go back into Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Windows Setup Tab,
click on Communications and hit Details. Either re-check those entries
which were checked before, or at least check Dial Up Networking (DUN) and
Hyperterminal. Hit Apply, say NO if prompted to restart. Hit OK out of
Add/Remove Programs
9. Go back into Control Panel > Network. Add back any components that were
present before, or at least make sure that CFSMN, DUA and TCP/IP are
installed. Sometimes IPX/SPX > DUA, netBEUI > DUA will interfere with
browsing, so if it was there before I leave it out this time. When done hit
OK and let windows install the components again
10. Restart (usually prompted to after step 9). What we have done is taken
out just about all the windows communications and networking components,
made it so that windows can't find the reg keys and HAS to install new ones,
and then have windows reinstall original files and components (original to
the OS version, unmodified by 3rd party software).
NOTES:
--- In worst-case scenarios, you have to rename some *.386 files,
pppmac.vxp, and a few others to FORCE windows to install new copies.
--- If windows has not installed anything from the CAB files before, it will
ask for the win98 or winME disk, with the only choice as "OK". If the files
ARE on the disk, there you go, if not, hit OK anyway, and you'll get a
message that such-n-such file cannot be found. Then at the bottom of this
window you can instruct windows to look in the DIR where the cab files are,
such as C:\windows\options\cabs.
--- VERSION CONFLICTS: If any version conflicts come up, if the file is
"Secure32.dll" I hit "YES" to keep the existing version, OTHERWISE, hit "NO"
to overwrite existing versions, thereby letting windows replace possible
corrupt components with fresh ones.
--- This fix does NOT touch winsock.dll, wsock32.dll, or rasapi32.dll, so if
these files are corrupt, i.e. their file date does not match that of
win.com, they have to be extracted separately through SFC.
--- At work I have to disclaimer people about the fact that doing this fix
can interfere with their network setup, because it completely rips it out
and re-builds it. So I usually only do this fix on stand-alone machines
with dial up access.
This fix may look a little drawn out at first, but really I just gave the
long-winded version. Basically its uninstalling communications, ripping the
network stack, either renaming or deleting the reg keys, and reinstalling
the comms and the network again, with a bunch of disclaimers. With a person
that knows their way around the computer and is willing to work with you, it
takes about 15-20 minutes. For absolute beginners it can take 45 min to
1hr, but this is over the phone directing the USER to do all this. Either
way I find that it does fix a browsing issue in the majority of cases, and
is better than having someone back up everything, reformat, reinstall the
OS, and reinstall all programs and files again, IF that can be avoided.
Anyway, enough rambling, please let me know if this helps, if you've tried /
know of this fix, or if this STILL wouldn't get you out of uninstalling and
reinstalling the OS
New.net Customer Support
of our software.
Customer Support
New.net,Inc
sup...@new.net