[Webslinger64]

Those instructions will correct the Telnet start to what you expect it to do. I ran this on my machine and the window stays up and lets me log into (if I had a password) the game site as you described in an earlier post. The key to this one is that you can easily return to as you are now IF it doesn't work (why I wanted you to use the ERUNT / ERDNT utility; Geeks to Go recommends this as a registry backup, so it will be useful to you anyway (always good to have backups).

Let me know how it goes. Thanks.

Thanks for the reply. Downloaded and installed ERUNT. Before I proceed any further with your instructions, I started ERUNT and a Welcome! window pops up telling me that, "...This program backs up registry files of your Windows NT/2000/XP system to a folder of your choice..." I'm running Windows 7, so will this still work for me?

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Yes, works for Win 7, 8 and 8.1 as well.

[Ztruker]

Yes, works for Win 7, 8 and 8.1 as well.

[Webslinger64]

Those instructions will correct the Telnet start to what you expect it to do. I ran this on my machine and the window stays up and lets me log into (if I had a password) the game site as you described in an earlier post. The key to this one is that you can easily return to as you are now IF it doesn't work (why I wanted you to use the ERUNT / ERDNT utility; Geeks to Go recommends this as a registry backup, so it will be useful to you anyway (always good to have backups).

Let me know how it goes. Thanks.

Well, it didn't work. When I clicked on the telnet link, the Launch Application window popped up with rundll32.exe url.dll,TelnetProtocolHandler %l as the default selection. Clicked 'ok' and nothing happened, except the Launch Application window disappeared. No logon screen appeared though.
BTW, there is not a ERUNT backup file in C:/Windows. Not sure where it went. I left it as a default folder and proceeded with the program.
I'm surely groping in the dark here for explanations; this PC is connected to the Internet via a wireless network. Is it possible that the wireless connection is preventing something here? Might this only work if the PC is hardwired to the modem. Also, the OS is Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. Might that be an issue vs. Windows 7 Home edition?

Edited by Webslinger64, 16 December 2013 - 03:17 PM.

[dbreeze]

The backup files should be located in the C:\Windows\ERDNT\date_and_time folder IF the backup ran successfully. Mine from today lists as C:\Windows\ERDNT\12-16-2013 . ERDNT is the recovery part of the ERUNT_ERDNT utility; you run the program ERDNT from the backup folder that has the registry backup you want to recover.

I will check on a 64bit machine here and see if there are any differences. Hang on.

[Webslinger64]

The backup files should be located in the C:\Windows\ERDNT\date_and_time folder IF the backup ran successfully. Mine from today lists as C:\Windows\ERDNT\12-16-2013 . ERDNT is the recovery part of the ERUNT_ERDNT utility; you run the program ERDNT from the backup folder that has the registry backup you want to recover.

I will check on a 64bit machine here and see if there are any differences. Hang on.

Thanks for checking. Yeah, I guess the backup didn't take. I checked C:\Windows folder and there was not a ERDNT folder of any kind.

[Webslinger64]

Just and FYI and not even sure this is helpful; on the Windows XP and Windows 7 PCs, I can go to the cmd prompt and type telnet /?
When I do, this is the result that I get on both PCs:



Now on the Windows XP PC, from the command prompt I can type telnet lostways.no-ip.biz and it will bring up a logon screen for Lostways BBS. On the Windows 7 PC, when I type the same command I get this response, "...Could not open connection to the host, on port 23: Connection failed..."

It seems there are a number of points where telnet/port 23 is or can be blocked:
-Windows 7 itself (if it's not enabled)
-Windows Firewall
-Avast Web Shield
-Comcast/Xfinity modem (my ISP and also has a Firewall)
So any one of these could be the culprit either by itself, or in combination with others. That's how I'm seeing it. Either way, the amount of effort it's taking to do what should be a simple change is ridiculous.
I have checked Comcast/Xfinity Firewall settings. It is set at 'Typical Security'(medium) by default. It does list a number of items that are blocked, but port 23 and/or telnet is not one of them. I also disabled Comcast/Xfinity Firewall altogether and the results are still the same, so that option does not seem to be at fault.
Guess I'm posting all this just trying to help myself understand the inner workings of this issue better. Again, sorry if this info is not helpful.

[dbreeze]

ALL information is helpful!! Always; that's how we all learn so don't feel bad about sharing at all. I have run into something interesting on the 32bit / 64bit machines. 32 - Works fine; 64 - get same type errors you do, either no Telnet client installed or can not connect on port23. Might be a Windows / IE setting; I have to run right now but will be working on this tonight and let you know. Thanks.

[Ztruker]

Try this: Enable telnet in Windows 7 / Vista

Didn't work at all for me till I did that, now it works correctly, I get to the login screen.

Doesn't work from the link but does from a Command Prompt.

[Webslinger64]

ALL information is helpful!! Always; that's how we all learn so don't feel bad about sharing at all. I have run into something interesting on the 32bit / 64bit machines. 32 - Works fine; 64 - get same type errors you do, either no Telnet client installed or can not connect on port23. Might be a Windows / IE setting; I have to run right now but will be working on this tonight and let you know. Thanks.

Well that's interesting. I use Firefox instead of Windows IE and have checked add-ons, extensions and plug-ins and have not noticed anything that would apply to this issue. Also as an FYI, there are two ways to telnet into this game site to play. One is through the website telnet link, the other is through a scripting program that in essence, auto runs your character in the game while you are away from the keyboard. The scripting program, MegaMUD, has to be configured so that it can telnet into the site as well. Basically, you just add the telnet link to the programs settings and it gets you in. I have that program and it is also unable to connect.

[Webslinger64]

Try this: Enable telnet in Windows 7 / Vista

Didn't work at all for me till I did that, now it works correctly, I get to the login screen.

Doesn't work from the link but does from a Command Prompt.

I have done this step already and know that it worked because of the results that display in the cmd prompt, which is the picture I included in post #21 above. If it wasn't successful, I don't believe I would have gotten the telnet instructions listed in the cmd prompt. I have tried to telnet into the site via the cmd prompt, but it fails.

[Webslinger64]

OK, not sure how applicable this is (though it seems like it could be) and that's because of my lack of knowledge on the issue, but I came across this article/post regarding ""Telnet won't run from cmd prompt in Windows 7"from a member who is running 64-bit Windows 7. The discussion centers on the c:\windows\system32 and windows\sysWOW64 folders. The system32 folder contains a Telnet.exe icon, which I do have on my Windows 7 PC and which opens up a Telnet DOS/cmd prompt when I double click it. They're indicating that the problem may have to do with the cmd prompt being a 32-bit cmd prompt vs. a 64-bit cmd prompt. When I check the sysWOW64 folder, there is nothing about Telnet in there. Again, I don't really understand what this is all getting at, but thought it might provide some insight as to what may be going on.

[dbreeze]

.......
Doesn't work from the link but does from a Command Prompt.

....The scripting program, MegaMUD, has to be configured so that it can telnet into the site as well. Basically, you just add the telnet link to the programs settings and it gets you in. I have that program and it is also unable to connect.

... The system32 folder contains a Telnet.exe icon, which I do have on my Windows 7 PC and which opens up a Telnet DOS/cmd prompt when I double click it. They're indicating that the problem may have to do with the cmd prompt being a 32-bit cmd prompt vs. a 64-bit cmd prompt. When I check the sysWOW64 folder, there is nothing about Telnet in there. Again, I don't really understand what this is all getting at, but thought it might provide some insight as to what may be going on.

Actually, I think we have all come to the same conclusions by way of different paths. Telnet.exe in Win7 x64 is not a 64-bit application and may in fact be a 16 or 8 bit build: original file name is telnetc.exe and there is no SP1 file, nor is there any compatibility mode settings for this program. Long story short is that Telnet seems to be a after-thought for Microsoft and won't run under 64-bit (at least not from a passed command link). The last quote above actually explains the problem somewhat but basically 64bit Windows will not call a 16bit program and pass command links / switches to it. Sorry about this.

As to the registry change I asked you to do, it turns out that your registry had those values in the first place (so actually you gained a valuable registry backup tool [just change the program to always "Run as Administrator" and you will get the backups] and no harm done that way) but that MS won't run 8/16bit via Shell Links in 64bit OS.

There are other telnet clients available for free; some people like CryptoTerm (free for home use; hxxp://www.cryptoterm.com/ ) and others like PuTTY (you can get a copy here: hxxp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/putty/). You could try one of these and see if the links work that way.

[Webslinger64]

.......
Doesn't work from the link but does from a Command Prompt.

....The scripting program, MegaMUD, has to be configured so that it can telnet into the site as well. Basically, you just add the telnet link to the programs settings and it gets you in. I have that program and it is also unable to connect.

... The system32 folder contains a Telnet.exe icon, which I do have on my Windows 7 PC and which opens up a Telnet DOS/cmd prompt when I double click it. They're indicating that the problem may have to do with the cmd prompt being a 32-bit cmd prompt vs. a 64-bit cmd prompt. When I check the sysWOW64 folder, there is nothing about Telnet in there. Again, I don't really understand what this is all getting at, but thought it might provide some insight as to what may be going on.

Actually, I think we have all come to the same conclusions by way of different paths. Telnet.exe in Win7 x64 is not a 64-bit application and may in fact be a 16 or 8 bit build: original file name is telnetc.exe and there is no SP1 file, nor is there any compatibility mode settings for this program. Long story short is that Telnet seems to be a after-thought for Microsoft and won't run under 64-bit (at least not from a passed command link). The last quote above actually explains the problem somewhat but basically 64bit Windows will not call a 16bit program and pass command links / switches to it. Sorry about this.

As to the registry change I asked you to do, it turns out that your registry had those values in the first place (so actually you gained a valuable registry backup tool [just change the program to always "Run as Administrator" and you will get the backups] and no harm done that way) but that MS won't run 8/16bit via Shell Links in 64bit OS.

There are other telnet clients available for free; some people like CryptoTerm (free for home use; hxxp://www.cryptoterm.com/ ) and others like PuTTY (you can get a copy here: hxxp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/putty/). You could try one of these and see if the links work that way.

Well it looks like problem solved, though not the way I had hoped. It is good to have a clearer understanding of the whys and wherefores of Windows 7. Based on our efforts, mostly those who have replied to my thread and I do appreciate your help a great deal, I have decided to keep the old Windows XP PC for the sole purpose of running this game. Will just stick it in a corner somewhere and let it run. Easy enough.
Again,thank you all for your help.

[Ztruker]

Try one of the telnet alternative. Just might work for you.