[Channeal]

Hello there,

 

Am not actually sure if this is anything to be concerned about or not, so thought I would run it by you guys.......

 

I have an 11-year-old Dell Dimension 9150 on which I am running Windows 7 (although it was running Windows XP until a few months ago)

 

Every now and again - on average say once every 1 to 2 weeks - when I first turn the computer on, it fails to connect to the internet. This used to happen occasionally with XP too, but I was usually able to go into Network Connections and connect. Since Windows 7 was installed though, I cannot seem to connect and end up restarting the computer because if then I try to go into the Network and Sharing Centre is just refuses to open at all. Restarting the computer generally fixes the problem though - and I can also then get into the Network and Sharing Centre once more.

 

I was wondering if this is just a little blip such as all computers have from time to time, or could it be indicative of other problems looming?

 

Chris.

 

PS Forgot to say that I connect via Ethernet cable.

Edited by Channeal, 17 May 2017 - 10:50 AM.

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Hello Chris,

 

If it happens again, check to see if anything is/was updating such as Windows or your AV protection etc.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

If it happens again, check to see if anything is/was updating such as Windows or your AV protection etc.

[Channeal]

Okay Phill, thanks.

 

If something updating was the cause, would it not follow that I should be able to get into the Network and Sharing Centre once the program has stopped updating? I don't think that is the case as think the problem persists even if it is left alone for a time. I will check it out more fully next time it happens though.

 

Chris.

[phillpower2]

If something updating was the cause, would it not follow that I should be able to get into the Network and Sharing Centre once the program has stopped updating?

 

 

Aye and that the reason why I said "is/was updating" 

 

if then I try to go into the Network and Sharing Centre is just refuses to open at all. Restarting the computer generally fixes the problem though - and I can also then get into the Network and Sharing Centre once more.

 

 

Apart from something updating two other things that can cause this type of lock up are software/driver conflicts and a particular system setting such as a scheduled back up or defrag etc being in progress, to check the latter you would need to try and get into Task Manager when it happens by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Del and see what is running, we may be able to take a look at the former with MTB now, see below please;

 

Please download MINITOOLBOX and run it.

Checkmark the following boxes:

Flush DNS
Reset FF proxy Settings
Reset Ie Proxy Settings
Report IE Proxy Settings
Report FF Proxy Settings
List content of Hosts
List IP configuration
List Winsock Entries
List last 10 Event Viewer log
List Installed Programs
List Users, Partitions and Memory size
List Devices (problems only)

 Attach the results to your next reply for us please.

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

Minitools file attached as requested. (There appears to be a few errors therein! )

 

 MTB17.05.2017.txt   21.5KB   312 downloads

 

Many thanks,

 

Chris.

 

EDIT Right on cue, the internet wouldn't connect when I turned the computer on this morning (is isn't usually so obliging!  )

 

There didn't seem to be very much going on in task manager, but here is a screenshot: -

 

 

Below is another Minitoolbox report created today for errors only. The Malwarebytes error happened just after I restarted and is something which occurs very occasionally. When it happens, it tells me to uninstall and reinstall (I think I might have done that once, but the problem still arises once in a while). NB It does not seem to be connected to the internet connection problem, as they usually happen at separate times.

 

 MTB18.05.2017.txt   4.81KB   337 downloads

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Channeal, 18 May 2017 - 03:36 AM.

[phillpower2]

Morning Chris,

 

Couple of suggestions;

 

I use Rapport myself but found it can cause problems so I disable it when not doing anything financial online, it doesnt take long to either disable or re enable it so is worth trying, see Stopping Trusteer Rapport info here

 

Couple of problems with Windows so would suggest running the AIO tool, if not on your HDD see below;

 

Download then run the Windows All in One Repair (free)  from here, disregard the malware guidance but follow the other steps to the letter and in particular ensuring that you first create a new restore point and perform a proper Windows clean boot before running the repair, details for the clean boot here.

 

MBAM issue could be related to Rapport so keep an eye on that while Rapport is disabled.

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

Many thanks for your reply.

 

I have disabled Rapport now as suggested. We just have to remember to enable it when we do any online banking (my husband will never in a million years remember every time! )

 

I wonder where on earth those Windows problems came from: I seem to really excel at acquiring them! I have downloaded the AIO repair program and will run it when I get a bit of peace. We have had workers on next door's roof for over a week (including Sunday) and I have a headache at the moment because of all the noise they have been making.

 

No longer morning here now and the rain is absolutely bucketing it down..... but hope you have had a good day.

 

Chris

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

Apologies for the delay getting back to you 

 

Update info acknowledged, for now will wait on your test results and being that you have a lot going on around you all in your own time please 

[Channeal]

Hello Phill,

 

 

Apologies for the delay getting back to you 

 

No problem whatsoever. I know you are always a very busy bee.

 

Okay...... next door's roofers have gone now, so I ran the AIO program. Unfortunately though, it does not seem to have sorted all the problems; in fact, I seem to have a new problem now as I am getting a notification that the Windows Security Service is not turned on. When I attempted to turn it on in Services though, it wouldn't let me.

 

I also started getting messages all the time that there was a problem with Malwarebytes so I tried to uninstall it, but now it refuses to install again. Feeling worried, I ran a full boot-time scan with Avast - but that didn't find any problems at all. I also ran a SUPERAntiSpyware scan.

 

Anyway, here is the log generated by the AIO program, plus another log from Minitoolbox which might throw some more light on the problem.

 

 AIORepairLog.txt   12.44KB   283 downloads

 

 MTB20.05.2017.txt   5.23KB   288 downloads

 

Many thanks for your help.

 

Chris.

Edited by Channeal, 20 May 2017 - 04:13 AM.

[Channeal]

I just managed to install Malwarebytes, but if I try to run it, it says 'unable to connect to service'

Chris.

[phillpower2]

Hello Chris,

 

The following could be what is preventing one or more services from running;

 

Windows Management Instrumentation service is not running.

 

 

Can I ask if Windows is fully up to date and if you have been having any trouble updating at all.

[Channeal]

Good morning Phill,

 

No, I have not been aware of any problems with updating Windows. I just went into Windows Update and here is a screenshot of what I found there: -

 

 

Not sure why it says updates have never been installed. I am pretty sure it told me it was updating not very long ago!

 

Chris

 

PS Another screenshot: -

 

 

 

Edited by Channeal, 21 May 2017 - 03:03 AM.

[phillpower2]

Good morning Chris,

 

Please check your view update history tab to see when the latest update was shown to have been installed.

[Channeal]

Sorry Phill...... I think my edit crossed with your reply!

[phillpower2]

No worries Chris and the good news is that your updates are shown in History, the next patch Tuesday should correct the "Never" message which will be as a result of running the AIO tool, we need to see what services are actually running since the AIO and MTB logs were produced.

 

Can you post an Autoruns log for us please, see here  

 

1: Extract the Autoruns Zip file contents to a folder.

2: Double-click the "Autoruns.exe".

3: Click on the Options tab and make sure that the Hide Empty Locations option is the only one ticked.

4: Go to File then to Export As or Save in some versions.

5: Save AutoRuns.txt file to known location like your Desktop > when you click on File > Save you will then get the option to Save as type, click the drop down tab, change it to Text and then click the Save button.

6: Attach to your next reply.

 

Tutorial here

 

NB: Working today so will not be around again until this evening.