unable to detect cable modem

Hope I can find some answers here. I have brought a friends computer home to clean it up. It is a Dell Dimension 4300. He got it from someone in exchange for some work he did for them. Anyway he asked me to look at it for him and I have found that it has never had any cleanup maintenance performed on it. It is full of programs that I know to have spyware. He has a very slooowww dialup connection, so I brought it home to hookup to my cable modem. But it will not recognize it. It tells me I have an unplugged network cable. It uses a USB port to connect. I am doing this for him because I am going to upgraded to XP and think this will help me in my learning curve. Another thing I came acroos was when trying to open a file or install a download, a popup said: To open this file windows needs to konow what program created it. What do I do here? Thank you for any help. Mike

 

Mt if this computer has not been maintained well then here are the steps I would take. And this will definitely be a learning experience.

Are you sure you are ready for this?? Smile!

The network connection problem is probably related to USB. Leave this until the system is cleaned and it will be much easier to Tshoot and fix.

What ver. of win98? Hopefully 2nd edition.

As a preliminary you should do the following cleanups!

Configure CleanMgr to max settings This one is even more thorough in safe mode if you will!
Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sageset:1
The above need only be ran once (these settings will be remembered as the default until another sageset is ran).

It will present a menu select all except compress, then

Go to Start-Run and type

cleanmgr /sagerun:1
As long as /sageset above has been ran on this computer from now on the /sagerun is the only thing that needs to run.

Cleanups
These are for 95 98 only!

Boot to DOS (not shutdown to DOS). While booting hit F8 to startup menu. Chose "command prompt only ".

Type these commands exactly hit enter at the end (do not type the notes that are in parenthesis like this).

del c:\*.swp (may get file not found, is ok)
del c:\windows\*.swp
deltree c:\windows\shelli*.*
deltree c:\windows\temp\*.* (answer yes to all) "ALL "
deltree c:\windows\tempor~1\*.*
deltree c:\windows\history\*.*
deltree c:\windows\spool\printers\*.*

So here are the steps:
1. In add/remove get rid of all old useless programs.

2. Check with your friend to see what he really needs to keep. Then look thru the start menu for programs that had no entry in add/remove.
If you decide any of these need to be removed then look for an uninstall link and run it. If no uninstall do a properties on these entries to find their location on the hd then browse there and see if an uninstall link exists (the uninstall could be called "Unwise ") so run the uninstall or Unwise. Then browse the root for folders that have programs that did not have an entry in add/remove or even the start menu. If you have doubts about to keep or not then keep.

3. Do the same in Program files as #3 above.

4. If you find programs that should be removed but have no uninstall or unwise then browse My Computer and Highlight and manually remove the folder!

Now on your own computer you should download the following programs.

Spyware and adware removal

SpyBot http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=download
Run this twice delete all it finds, "ALWAYS" run this before AdAware.
Leave all it wants to leave after the second run.

AdAware 6.0 http://www.lavasoft.com/
Run only after SpyBot!
Make sure to configure to Max settings, all files and compressed files. Delete all it finds

BHO Demon http://www.definitivesolutions.com/bhodemon.htm
A BHO is like an autostart/startup that only runs when you run the Browser.
This program runs stand-alone no install is required post me the items it finds other than the below. Normal entries here would be Acrobat Reader or Norton Anti virus.

Registry and System cleaners

RegCleaner http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/shtml/regcleaner.shtml
Look in first 2 cols for programs you thought you uninstalled or removed, these are the dregs left by the uninstaller. Also tag and remove any that you are POSITIVE are not supposed to be on your computer. After removing these go to the top Tools-Registry Cleanup-Do them all. Delete all it finds.

EasyClean1.7 http://gswi.com/downloads.htm
Run only unnecessary files and registry clean delete all it finds. If you have XP or ME in the "Unnecessary Files" type the word HELP in the skip box. Do not do Duplicate files!

Get these burnt to CD if possible to install on the other computer. Most of them will fit on a floppy but Spybot and Adaware will not, but these are very important for this since you already know it has spyware.

Since you did not say if the virus scanner is up to date or even if so is it working so get these also:

Special Virus cleaners

Stinger http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/
PQremove http://www.webmasterfree.com/software/2911.html
SysClean http://www.trendmicro.com/download/tsc.asp

These are the Delta force for only the newest and most prolific viruses today.
Use these if it is possible that a virus may have disabled your regular scanner.

For a quick clean, and then if they find and clean anything do a full deep scan with a full-fledged scanner.
If you suspect a virus has disabled your regular scanner you should do 3 things

Download STINGER and PQREMOVE and SysyClean and run them. NOTE: always download them the day you use them, do not run an older one that you have had; these all are updated almost daily.

These scanners are stand-alone and require no install. Run these now before running the RegCleaners and etc below.

After you get these to the effected computer then run all of the RegCleaners and temp cleaners and Spyware cleaners as soon as possible. The reg cleaners will cleanup after both all the uninstalls you made above both using uninstall and or manual removes. Additionally they will cleanup behind any Viri or spy/adware that was removed.

Is this too much at once, have I scared you away already??

So if not get to it and I will be here if you need me. In and out today and out this evening to eat but will keep a close check

Mike

 

I am a little embarrassed here mflynn. Should have explained that my friends computer has XP. I have 98SE on mine. I have seen your post on the super cleaning before and have used it. Also have all the programs you have recommended. I have gone thru my friend computer and removed a lot of programs he would not need. Trying to navigate XP has been a very frustrating experience. Nothing seems to be where I can find it like on 98. Since I plan on updating to XP, thought this would be a good learning curve. He also did not recieve an XP disk or a restore disk and has no chance of getting it. My thought was just to reinstall the operating system. How would I go about getting one? I don't think he would purchase another copy. And while I'm on that subject, which is the better route to go, a full version of XP or an upgrade version. What is the differance in the two? I need to download the programs you suggested but need to establish an internet connection, so any help in this direction would be appeciated. Thank you........................ Mike

 

WHY JACK AROUND LIKE THIS..

YOU SAID HE JUST GOT IT... WIPE THE SUCKER AND RUN THE
RESTORE DISK....IF YOU DONT HAVE ONE..CALL DELL AN THEY WILL SEND IT OUT..IF THEY WONT..THEN JUST WIPE IT AND PUT XP ON IT AND BE DONE WITH IT...

 

MT

Sorry so long getting back, out to eat with friends and it was one of those good, long, fun, laughing evenings that don't happen often so I just stayed and basked in the ambiance. Fantasic food. Drank about 6 Hinnies!

That is OK MT about the XP, I am forever forgetting what forum I am in anyway.

But I did notice the win98 at the bottom of your msg.

Thor would be correct if you had all the install CD's and if your friend had not used this computer at all. But you said someone gave it to him, but you did not say if he had in fact been using it?

Unless you have the CD and the activation code I would not try a reinstall. Not possible without the XP Cd or at least a Dell recovery disk anyway. If you do try to get one from Dell it will take some time any way.

And then the fact that you wanted to use this as a learning experience and practice for your own XP installataion. This won't allow you to experience an install but will get you some experience with XP!

So! Most of what I advised is still valid except the DOS part.

But first let us get XP to look like Win98. Find settings Taskbar and start menu and choose Classic view. Same in control panel on the left side choose clasic view. There are other things we could do but do these things and you will be in more familiar territory.

So do the cleanup of the add/remove then the start menu then browse the c: root and C:\Program files and find programs not in the add/remove . Clean them if you feel it is safe.

The Cleanmgr proceedure is the same except do not select Compress.

All or the downloads I advised will work the same but there is a couple of XP specific additions as follows:

RegScrubXP http://www.lexunfreeware.com/LexunFreeware.htm
NOTE: W2K and XP only!

Select RegScrub finds problems and remove all it finds.

http://www.webattack.com/get/xpantispy.shtml

So do the cleans, run the regcleaners the spy/adware cleans and run the Virus scanners then get back and we will look into the USB so you can connect to your DSL.

Or let me know where you are now, or what you want to do!

Mike

PS MT these 2 messages do look complex but as you said you have done them before and know it is not as complex as it looks.

 

Mflynn,sorry I haven't posted back sooner, but I totally hosed my computer and have spent the better part of a week getting it back in order. Nothing like gaining experience. I have done all the things recommended and the XP computer seems to be running much quicker. And I am getting a little better feel for the XP system. My friend told me he is going to remodel his house and to keep it for the summer as he would just put in the closet out of the way. So all I need now is to figure how to get it to see my cable hookup. I have been poking around in it, but all it ever tells me is that a network cable is unplugged. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks to all for your Help.......... Mike

 

Either way was a learning experience, but had you followed my steps carefully you may have not had to reinstall. Little I told you so. Smile!

On the modem question, need more info.

Are you connecting directly to a cable modem or to a router that is hooked to a cable modem?

What brand cable modem and/or router?

Are you using the same cable you used on your own computer?

If so when you plug in do you get a link light on the cable modem and NIC?

If no and you are using the same cable to connect and it works on your computer there is a problem with the NIC.

More than likely it is not installed properly or it possibly could be bad.

What brand is the NIC as reported by Device manager? Does it appear to be installed properly as reported by Device mgr? Does it match the label on the NIC (look in the case)?

In device mgr do you have any Unknown devices (yellow question mark), if so and they are listed as PCI Communication device or Ethernet controller then this is the problem. Remove these entries and the NIC that it reports and reboot. If they go back into unknown devices, let me know.

If it is USB then you will have no link light on the PC but still should get one on the modem.

If it is USB and you are using the same cable then the USB on the computer is the problem.

What does device mgr say about USB? Same as above are there Unknown entries in device mgr and are they related to USB device or controller. If so remove these and the USB hubs and controllers and reboot.

Your move!

Mike

 

Yes mflynn, you are a wise sage. Smile...... Now back to the modem problem. I connect directly to a modem and it is an RCA with a USB hookup. Went into device manager and opened up the usb root hub. There was a yellow mark on ez connect usb/ ethernet converter. I checked properties and there are no drivers installed for this. So I would assume this is the problem. So where would I get them? I have a floppie for my Win98 setup, but it will not work for XP as I have already tried. Went to SMC site and they have they have a download for the SMC 2102 ethernet converter, which is what I have. But it says it is for Win 98. So I am at a standstill again. Thanks again. Mike

 

Mike

Converter.... converter! Geez! Good to know these things.

Are you telling me that you are using an Ethernet to USB converter on the end that plugs into the computer?

If so does this computer have a regular Ethernet card?
Also does the Modem have a regular Ethernet port?

Is the converter connected to the modem or to the USB port on the computer?

If the converter is connected to "the USB on the computer" then remove the converter from the end of the cable and and plug the cable directly into the Ethernet card instead of the USB.

If the converter is connected to "the USB on the modem" and the modem has a regular Ethernet port then remove the converter from the end of the cable and and plug the cable directly into the Ethernet port on the modem instead of the USB.

Do this with the computer off.

Now if the computer has no Ethernet card you will have to use USB.

If none of the above applies then get me the exact model of RCA modem so I can look it up. Also confirm the model of the converter so I can research it.

I am on my way to work. Will get back this evening.

Mike

 

mflynn, thanks for all your dilligent help. I figured out the problem before reading your last post. It was just as you suggested. Unplugged the cable (think it is called a cat 5?) from the converter and plugged it into the computer. Voila!!!!!!!!! Instant internet. I really thank you for your time and patience. Seems like a no brainer now, but it is always the little things that trip you up. Mike