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IBM NetVistaNo dial-up and missing Device Manager Issues - 11/30/05 |
I got a call from a client a few days after Thanksgiving, stating that they could not log onto the internet via their dial-up. He also stated he had a new program starting up each time he booted up his pc. The program was called PowerScan 1.1.
PC brand/Model: IBM Netvista circa 2003
Processor: 1GB Intel Celeron
Memory: 256MB Ram
HDD: 40GB Hard Drive
CD Drives: IBM supplied Liteon CD-Rom
Modem: IBM supplied Conexant HCF V90 Data/Fax PCI Modem
Misc hardware: On board NIC, Sound
OS: Windows XP Home SP2
Email: Outlook Express
Over the phone, I walked him through shutting down the PowerScan program, then got him started running his virus scanner (Norton Antivirus in Systemworks). I told him to call me back when the scanner was finished.
In the meantime, since I wasn't aware of PowerScan 1.1, I went online to do some investigating on the program. I immediately found that althought it wasn't a virus type program (virus, trojan, worm etc), it was an instrusional program that needed to be removed, and possibly could have corrupted this dial-up settings.
The client called me back after his virus scanner was finished, and as I had suspected after my investigation, the virus scanner had not found any problems. I had him run Adaware which I had previously installed on his pc. Adaware found the usual spying cookies and such, but there was so many that it wasn't worth the time to go over them one by one over the phone. I just had him delete them all, and said we would see if resolved the issue imeediately or we needed to dig further. Removing the infectious files Adaware found, did not resolve any issues.
Next, I had him delete the PowerScan program. Fortunately, it was listed in the Add/Remove folder in the Control Panel, and removing it was simple. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the dial-up issue either.
Next, I ask him open the "Phones and Modems" folder in the Control Panel, but he said there wasn't one. So I had him open the System folder, then the Hardware Device Manager. He informed me that there wasn't anything in it. It was empty, and didn't have any hardware listed at all. Not even the computer name which would have been the first heading. I walked him through checking the setting for the Device Manager, and all were set properly. At this point not knowing why there wasn't anything showing up in his device manager, I told him I would have to make a service call to dig deeper.
Monday - As soon as I arrived, I tried to connect with the dial-up account. Nothing happened. I went into the Device Manager, and as he had told me previously, there was nothing there (Truth be told - this client isn't very good at getting around his pc except for Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, so when I was working with him over the phone, I didn't think he was looking in the right place. I know, bad assumption).
I shut down the pc, and rebooted into safe mode, and went into the Control Panel. The folder for "Phones and Modems" was listed, as well as all of the hardware showing in the Device Manager. Now I was really puzzled. Concentrating on the modem, I tried several different things to try and get the modem to re-install, but the driver wizard wouldn't accept any new driver. I tried to force install a new driver, but the wizard wouldn't bring up any modems to choose from except the standard ones, and even those it would not let me try to install one.
Now to compound my frustration, becasue of the bad assumption I had made previously, when I went out on the service call, I didn't take my laptop, so I had no way of doing any further research. So, I had to break the bad news that I had to take it home and do further research.
Tuesday - I started my research by searching Google for the Device Manager issue. I found several topics on the issue, most of which were relating the problem to the Plug and Play services. However all of the settings were correct, and none of the other recommendations resolved the issue either. One of the posts on a forum made a hint (actually I think it was the person seeking help asking if this was a possiblity) that maybe there was a problem with a Windows Update. Since none of the other suggestions resolved the problem, I thought I'd connect the pc to the internet via the onboard NIC (that the customer didn't use), and at least see what updates Microsoft had to offer. Maybe, just maybe one of these would be the answer.
I downloaded and installed the following Windows updates (clicking on the update number will link you to the Microsoft update page):
•KB900930 - Outlook update - (quoting Microsoft) "to address multiple Outlook Express issues in Windows XP. This update addresses an issue in which messages are improperly handled..."
•KB896344 - Windows XP 64 Bit isssue - (quoting Microsoft) "The Files and Settings Transfer Wizard included in Windows XP SP2 does not support gathering data from a 32-bit Windows XP environment..."
•KB887797 - Just listed as "Cumulative Update for Outlook Express for Windows XP ", but on the Microsoft page, it has more details about what it is "addressing" - None of which state any relation to the current problems.
•For full disclosure, I also installed a hardware update that it listed for the onboard network card.
After all the updates installed, I let Windows shut down and restart. I immediately went into the Control Panel. The "Phones and Modems" icon was listed, and when I opened it, it had the modem listed with all it's previous settings. I opened the Device Manager, and low and behold, all the hardware was listed. Next after hooking up the phone line, I opened Outlook Express, and it immediately dialed out and connected with a hitch (and started downloading a ton of email!).
All seemed to be right with the world once again.
Now I could stop now, but not being one to let sleeping dogs lie (and for the next time I might have a similar problem), I'd like to know what happened? Was it coincidence that after the updates were installed that Windows XP fixed this problem along the way? OR, was the fix actually contained within one of the updates I installed? We all know Microsoft will never tell.
If anyone has any suggestions or coments, don't hesitate to let me know at support@jebswebsite.com
Copywright 2005
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